Emily Symington Harkins Filer

Emily Symington Harkins Filer, 85, passed away on Thursday, November 4, 2021 in a Virginia Beach hospital. She was the retired founder and executive director of Lee's Friends. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, she was the daughter of the late Grace Cover Symington and Frank Fife Symington. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Hoagland Filer, her daughter, Emily "Lee" Harrison Harkins, a stepdaughter Mary Wilson Filer Pross, her sister, Grace Symington Rienhoff, and her brother, Macduff Symington.

She was a 1954 graduate of Garrison Forest School in Garrison, MD and Miss Porter's School in Farmington, CT. She also had an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Providence Bible College of Theology that she received in 2010. She was a certified volunteer administrator and a Chaplin for Sentara, CPE Level I and II. She was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd and attended Christ and St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

Left to cherish her memory is her son Montgomery (Monty) Fox Harkins, stepdaughters, Elizabeth DuVal Filer and Anne Filer Vogt; her grandchildren, Martin Alexander Harkins, Benjamin Lee Harkins (Elise), Bastien Fox Harkins (Gigi); her step-grandchildren, Janice, Kaitlyn, and Ruth; and great grandchildren Lidia Harkins Delgado and Agnes Harkins; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends from around the world.

A memorial service will be conducted at 11am on Thursday, Nov. 11th in the Trinity Chapel of Westminster Canterbury on the Bay. A simple reception to follow. She will be buried with her family in Elmwood Cemetery in a private ceremony at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lee's Friends, 7400 Hampton Blvd., Suite 201, Norfolk, VA 23505, or Virginia Wesleyan University, 1534 Wesleyan Dr., Norfolk, VA 23502, or St. Paul's School Scholarship in Lee's name, 325 Pleasant St., Concord, NH 03301, or to the Westminster-Canterbury Foundation, 3100 Shore Dr., Virginia Beach, VA 23451. H. D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Norfolk is handling arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to the family through www.hdoliver.com.