Edina - 85, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2026 in Edina, Minnesota.

A beloved member of the Macalester College psychology faculty until her retirement, Roxane often reflected that her interest in psychology and culture seemed inevitable, having spent her childhood doing "fieldwork" before she knew its meaning. Born in Ohio to Anne and John Harvey, Roxane moved across six cities and four states by the end of high school. This required her to learn each new environment's language and culture, and inspired her adventurous spirit, and curiosity to understand and ability to connect with nearly everyone she met. She was making friends right to the end.

Roxane entered Radcliffe College in 1958. At a time when women weren't allowed in many parts of the Harvard campus, Roxane deftly navigated her new community, soon making headlines as the first woman to lead a Harvard undergraduate organization when elected president of the yearbook.

Roxane found her academic home in an interdisciplinary social science major. Earning her cool grandma street-cred, Roxane's honors thesis on creativity and psychological dysfunction was evaluated by future '60s icon Timothy Leary, then a professor at Harvard. Because he was hard of hearing, she had to repeat herself loudly in conversation and joked that she wasn't surprised when "turn on, tune in, drop out" became his mantra.

Shortly after college, Roxane entered Harvard's psychology PhD program. While there, Roxane became reacquainted with dashing anthropologist Stephen Gudeman, whom she first met as an undergraduate. Recognizing simpatico intellectual curiosity, ethics and delight in exploration, they married in 1965. Their joint adventures began when they set off to rural Panama to spend almost two years living in a remote subsistence farming community, where Roxane conducted research on language acquisition and honed her photography skills documenting daily life.

Next came Cambridge, England, where they settled long enough to welcome their first daughter. When Steve obtained a position at the University of Minnesota, the family moved to Minneapolis and Roxane transferred to the University's Institute of Child Development graduate program. Minneapolis remained their home base as the family grew to include two more daughters, a few dogs, a rabbit, a hamster and a few unlucky gerbils.

After stints teaching at St. Olaf and the University of Minnesota, Roxane settled into the psychology department at Macalester College, which she called a "joyful privilege." A trusted leader on campus, Roxane loved teaching, mentoring and "scaffolding" students, and helped develop courses and programs on topics such as psychology of gender, psychology of pluralism and cultural psychology. Roxane also made significant contributions on a number of boards and outside organizations, including as a member of the American Association of University Professors' National Council, and as a co-author of a research article cited in Supreme Court briefs on the impact of diversity in college classrooms.

A talented artist and photographer, Roxane delighted in creating things for and with others: home-produced movies and books, sewn costumes, personalized games, and endless arts and crafts. She belonged to multiple book clubs, loved mysteries, volunteered on boards, knew how to count cards, played a mean game of hearts, and cared deeply about treating others with compassion and kindness, often harkening back to her early days raised in a home with parents of Unitarian and Quaker leanings.

Ever humble, positive, and deeply humane, Roxane leaves behind husband Steve, daughters Rebecca (Enrique), Elise (Glenn), Keren (Todd), seven grandchildren (Ona, Annika, Nico, Leo, Griffin, Ezra and Zara), as well as cousins, college friends, her clubs and community friends, and former colleagues and students.

Arrangements are being made for a celebration of life later this year. In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in honor of Roxane's memory to the National Center for Youth Law (www.youthlaw.org), Art to Change the World (www.arttochangetheworld.org), and the American Association of University Professors Foundation (www.aaupfoundation.org).