Joan Morgan Rhett

Joan Morgan Rhett passed away on December 29, 2012, at the age of 92. She was the wife of Robert Goodwyn Rhett of Charleston. Born in New York City in 1920, she was the daughter of John E.P. Morgan and Anita Delafield Morgan. She grew up in Rye, New York where she attended Rye Country Day School. She graduated from the Chatham Hall School in Chatham, Virginia, and studied dance at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. During World War II, she worked for Pan American Airways and later served with the Red Cross in Italy and France. She and her family lived in Peru, South America during the 1950s, and later settled in Darien, Connecticut. She moved to Charleston when Mr. Rhett retired in 1985.

During her years in Charleston, Mrs. Rhett was an avid golfer, playing up until her death. She was also a serious birding enthusiast who was an advocate for bird-friendly habitats and led many popular bird watching and nature hikes. She adored gardening, skiing, and figure skating, but her lifelong interest was photography. She exhibited her nature photographs in Connecticut and in Charleston.

Mrs. Rhett is survived by Mr. Rhett and their five children: Anita Prentice and husband Nathaniel of Garrison, New York; Robert G. Rhett, Jr. and wife Adriana Morales of Staunton, Virginia and Hightstown, New Jersey; Amy Rhett of Princeton, New Jersey; and John Rhett and Peter Rhett of Charlottesville, Virginia. There are also eight grandchildren: Roberto Rhett, Alejandro Rhett, Rhett Prentice, Jennifer LaMotte, and Gretchen LaMotte, all of New York City; Annabel Prentice of Sydney, Australia; Michael Prentice of Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Samara Rhett of Hightstown, New Jersey.

Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Charleston Audubon Society and may be mailed to: Charleston Natural History Society, P.O. Box 504, Charleston, SC 29402, or made online at http://www.charlestonaudubon.org/index.html.