Rosemary White Harris

Rosemary White Harris of Marblehead, MA, widow of Samuel Harris, departed this life on March 20, 2022. Rosemary was born at home in Newport, ME on December 29, 1929 to the late Elnathan H. White and Lola Corey White. Rosemary moved to Portland, ME when she was 3 years old and grew up there, graduating from Deering High School. Rosemary enjoyed competitive swimming and playing both the flute and violin. She liked to tell stories about marching in parades in Portland over cobblestone streets.

Rosemary met her future husband Sam while attending Maine Music Camp in Farmington, ME during high school, and started dating him while living in Bangor, Maine and attending the University of Maine, Orono. She graduated in February 1952 with a degree in Medical Technology, a field in which there were very few women at the time, and worked as a Medical Technologist while living in Bangor.

On July 1, 1952, Rosemary and Sam married and had three children. Rosemary and Sam continued to be active in the music community, with Rosemary playing flute in the Bangor Symphony and Sam conducting the orchestra. In 1957, they moved to Marblehead, MA, where they lived for the rest of their lives. While in Marblehead, they had three additional children. Rosemary taught flute lessons for the Marblehead Schools and then worked as a nurse’s aide at Devereux Nursing Home in Marblehead for 27 years, a job which she loved, providing excellent care and dignity to her patients and their families.

The large family traveled in a VW van and camped each summer, experiencing fun and memorable vacations. Retelling the stories and looking at the large collection of pictures results in much laughter to this day. Rosemary loved to tell people that she was ‘a stubborn old Yankee from Maine’, which probably helped her live such a long life, always on her own terms. She was a woman of many talents, sewing clothing (including her own wedding gown and all of the dresses for her wedding party), cross stitching, and knitting. Rosemary knit over 100 Christmas stockings for her extended family which are treasured. In her later years, she knit and donated hundreds of hats for soldiers, knitting them right up until her final days.

As adults, her children enjoyed taking Rosemary traveling with them, visiting Hawaii, the Grand Canyon, the Los Angeles area, San Francisco, Arizona, Kansas City, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Connecticut and frequent trips to Portland, ME amongst other places. She especially enjoyed seeing the Grand Canyon, the USS Arizona Memorial, and Alcatraz.

Rosemary is survived by four of her children: Lori Harris of NH, Jeanne Harris of CT, Joanne Harris of CA, and Rick Harris (Julie) of WV; by 10 grandchildren: Samuel Harris (Clarinda), Kasey Miller (Craig), Rosemary Harris, Bryant Harris (Jess), Elizabeth Downing, Kevin Downing, Tyler Oldham-Monroe (Emily), Alec Harris (Ken), Eliza Robertson, (Hayden), and Max Robertson. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law Sophie Harris, son-in-law Boyd Oldham, sister-in-law Donna White, and many nieces and nephews, especially John Fenlason, whose frequent visits were enjoyed and very much appreciated.

In addition to her husband, Rosemary was predeceased by her son Samuel and her daughter Deborah; by her brother Harry White, by her sister and brother-in-law Virginia and Dick Nelson, and by her sister-in-law Jean Fenlason.

Rosemary's children would like to offer their gratitude to her neighbors who have provided friendship, love, and support to her over many years. We can't thank them enough for all that they did for her. Special thanks go to the Osborne family who were lifelong friends, neighbors, and honorary grandchildren. Kari, Chip, Patty, and Nancy did a lot these last few years especially. Thanks to Michele and Alan for the store runs and car rides, and Tom, Amy, Elena, and their wonderful son Yannick for always being there. Rosemary looked forward to seeing Roger come around the neighborhood with the mail and getting a chance to chat with him every day. We are so grateful and we know that all of their kindness and support allowed her to stay in her own home for 65 years and will never be forgotten.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, April 8th, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Eustis & Cornell of Marblehead, 142 Elm Street. A Funeral Service will be held in the Funeral Home, on Saturday, April 9th at 10:00 AM with burial in Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead to follow. The family respectfully requests that masks be worn by attendees inside the funeral home. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.EustisandCornellFuneralHome.com for the Harris family.