Jo Ann Harper

1943 - 2024

Jo Ann Harper

White River Junction, VT - Jo Ann Harper, 81, died on Sunday, June 16, 2024, in White River Junction, VT.

Josie was born March 25, 1943, to the late Thomas and Mildred (Fromal) Salusto in Chester, PA. She grew up and attended school in Chester and excelled in athletics including field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. She attended West Chester University where she received her bachelor's degree in education and played on the lacrosse team all four years.

After college she began teaching at Swarthmore High School where she also began her career in coaching. She later coached field hockey, basketball and lacrosse at Penncrest High School in Media, PA and then moved to the collegiate level, coaching lacrosse at Hollins College in Roanoke, VA. Josie joined the Dartmouth athletics staff in 1981 when she was hired as the women's lacrosse head coach. Over the course of her 11 seasons at Dartmouth she had a record of 88-69 and 37-28 in the Ivy League. She led the team to the NCAA tournament in 1983, to its first Ivy League Championship in 1986 and again in 1987, and the ECAC Championship in 1988. Harper also served as assistant coach of the US Women's National Team including in the 1982 team that won the World Championship in England and as the head coach of the 1986 World Cup Team.

After coaching, Jo Ann moved into athletic administration at Dartmouth. She was named National Association of College Women Athletic Administrators administrator of the year in 2000. Harper was named Director of Athletics and Recreation at Dartmouth in 2002, the first time a woman earned such a high-ranking position in the history of the Ivy League. She also received the Katherine Ley Award from the ECAC in recognition of her leadership and advocacy for women coaches and administrators.

In 2020 it was announced the women's lacrosse head coach at Dartmouth would be endowed in Josie Harper's name. Some of her many other accolades include induction into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, as well as the Lacrosse Halls of Fame in New England and Pennsylvania and the West Chester University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Josie was predeceased by the following: Her parents Thomas & Mildred Salusto, her lifetime partner Michelle Meyers, her sister Connie O'Neill, and a niece Karen Fisher (Larry).

She leaves her niece Christine Record (David) and nephew Thomas O'Neill (Josie); grandnieces and nephews Geneva Record, TJ O'Neill (Ashleigh), Douglas O'Neill (Emily), Jesse O'Neill, and Stephen Record (Madeline); great grandniece and nephews Raelynn Record, James O'Neill, Thomas O'Neill III, Beau O'Neill, Maxwell O'Neill, and Finley O'Neill; The Meyers Family: Marietta, Michael and Deborah, Anna and Ben.

Details regarding a service later this year will be announced. Memorial donations to The Prouty are appreciated. Donations may be made online or by mail: make checks payable to DH-H/The Prouty and mail to Medical & Healthcare Advancement, Attn: Gift Recording, One Medical Center Drive (HB 7070), Lebanon, NH 03756.

Knight Funeral Home of White River Junction has been entrusted with arrangements and condolences to Josie's family may be made in an online guestbook at knightfuneralhomes.com