The city of Southfield regrets to report the passing of Southfield City Councilwoman Joan Seymour. Seymour’s term expires in November and she had not filed for re-election.

Councilwoman Seymour served on Southfield’s City Council for 24 years, first elected in 1993. She served as Chair of the Council Finance Committee four times, Chair of the Legislative & Urban Affairs Committee, and twice chaired the Boards & Commissions Committee. She was also a member of the Southfield Housing Authority and was elected City Council President two times and City Council President Pro Tem five times.

With a background that included over thirty years of corporate management, Councilwoman Seymour devoted significant time and energy to various causes that benefitted youth, women’s issues, the environment and the arts. Her volunteer activities began when she was a teenager, and Councilwoman Seymour continued to be active in many organizations, including serving as a Board Member of the Environmental Protection Council of Oakland County; Detroit Audubon Societies; National Wildlife Federation; Board Member of International Art Center/Institute; Michigan Wetlands Coalition; National Organization for Women as co-chair of the Detroit area employment committee; and as Vice President of Working Opportunities for Women.

Long interested in environmental issues, Councilwoman Seymour was active in preservation efforts of several natural areas in Southfield and, as a private citizen, led the successful effort to preserve a large wooded wetland in the path of the I-696 Expressway. Following this successful campaign, she helped to form the Southfield Wetlands/Woodlands Preservation Council and, as its President, led the community-wide successful effort to enact both the Wetlands Protection Ordinance and the Woodlands Protection Ordinance. She was active in gaining protection for several of Southfield’s special natural areas, including Lincoln Woods Nature Preserve, Horsetail Woods Nature Preserve and Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve, among others.

A memorial service is currently being planned for Monday, September 18 at 3 p.m. in the Southfield Public Library meeting room.