Marguerite Harris

MARGUERITE "MARIE" M. HARRIS Marie Harris, of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away Wednesday evening, December 17, 2008, at the Heritage House in Atlantic at the age of 92. M. Marie Harris was born in Pottawattamie County on October 20, 1916 to Otto C. and Celia H. (Boos) Suiter. She graduated from Anita High School and took a year of post graduate courses at Atlantic High School, and worked as a secretary at the Methodist Church in Boone, Iowa. She married Kenneth W. Harris on June 6, 1943 in Atlantic, and they farmed for 55 years north of Atlantic. Marie was active in many local, district, and Conference activities of the United Methodist Church, was a 4-H leader, secretary of the Christian Rural Overseas Program, secretary and president of Toastmasters, and vice president of Church Women United. She was president of the Iowa Association of Homes for the Aging and was active in the PEO. After 20 years as farmwife and mother, she reentered the business world in 1963 as receptionist and secretary at Heritage House Retirement Home in Atlantic. During her employment she took additional training at Des Moines Area Community College, and in 1975 acquired her state license for Long Term Care Administration. She became Administrator of Heritage House in 1976, and served in that capacity until she retired in 1984. Marie was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth, and her parents. She was also preceded in death by her in-laws Pauline and M. Reid Boyle, Rowena and Ralph Knop, Gail and Opal Harris, Lyle Harris, and George Torney. She is survived by their four children: Ardyth Gillespie and husband Gil of Ithaca, New York (and their two daughters Erin and Lee); Bill Harris and wife Beverly of Amarillo, Texas (and their two sons Geoff and wife MaryLea; and Todd and wife Darby); Garnet Harris of Danville, Indiana (and her four children, Sarah and husband Jonathan; Peter and wife Jenny; Anne; and Whitney); and Phil Harris and wife Karen of Madison, Wisconsin (and their son Seth and daughter Rachel and husband Justin), two great granddaughters, Emma and Claire and an exchange student son, Elio Bombardini of Forli, Italy. She is also survived by her sister Dorothy Torney of San Juan Capistrano, California, her sister in-in-law Delma Harris of Atlantic, and nieces and nephews Donna Torney Want, of San Juan Capistrano, California, Darrell Knop of Atlantic, Jim Boyle of Corvallis, Oregon, Duane Harris of Plymouth, Minnesota, Craig Harris of Shenandoah, Iowa, Steven Harris of Leadville, Colorado, and Larry Harris of Atlantic.Funeral InformationServices for Marie will be held at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic on Monday, December 22, at 10:30 A.M. with Pastor Melodee Carstens from the Buck Creek United Methodist Church officiating. There will be an open visitation at the funeral home with the family meeting friends on Sunday, December 21, from 5:00 - 7:00 P.M. Interment will be in the Atlantic Cemetery."The 23rd Psalm&"By Randall BreckenbaumerORGANSharon BreckenbaumerBEARERS Eric Boyle Craig Harris Larry Harris Bob Nelson Trevor Harris Glen Smith HONORARY BEARERS Donna Torney Want Darrell Knop Duane Harris Jim Boyle Steve Harris COMMITTAL SERVICEAtlantic CemeteryAtlantic, IowaLUNCHEONMarie"s family invites friends to join them for a luncheon at Heritage House following interment service.MEMORIAL SERVICEA brief memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m.at Heritage House following the luncheon.