Shirley Annitta Harris

Shirley (Winn) Harris, widow of Tom Lee Harris, was born April 25, 1938 in Kibler to Verlean (Weese) and Reuben Winn and passed from this life May 5, 2025 in Van Buren. She was a member of Van Buren First Assembly of God and former member of New Bethel Assembly of God in Fort Smith. She accepted Christ as her Savior at age 11 and read the Bible through nearly every year as an adult. She taught primary Sunday School classes for 20 years and served as church pianist, Missionette leader and coordinator. She was an honor graduate of Van Buren High School Class of 1955. She worked at Van Buren Chamber of Commerce, Hoerner Boxes, Inc. and Peoples Federal Savings and Loan in Fort Smith and was a member of National Association of Letter Carriers Auxiliary in Van Buren, serving as secretary/treasurer for many years. She was a former Crawford County election poll worker and did volunteer work with multiple groups, including Van Buren First Assembly’s Bags of Hope and Caregivers’ Day Out - caring for those who had Alzheimer’s. She enjoyed genealogy research and wrote numerous family histories. For several years she was the caregiver for her mother. Hobbies included photography, reading, scrapbooking, crocheting and canning her homegrown vegetables. Working outside in her yard and garden brought her much joy. She married Tom Lee Harris in July 1959 and they traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe and The Caribbean. After celebrating 47 wedding anniversaries he preceded her in death in September 2006. She is also preceded in death by her parents. A trip to Hawaii with a nephew in 2011 was the fiftieth state she visited. For years she played piano weekly for Memory Lane's Alzheimer's residents and had a great rapport with them, continuing this up until the end. She had many close friends and enjoyed outings with them on a regular basis.

Survivors include her sister, Patricia Bolding of Van Buren; a niece, Karyn DeFoore and husband Olen of Van Buren; two nephews, Kevin Bolding and wife Sharon of Cascade, Colorado and Darren Bolding and wife Tammie of Colorado Springs, Colorado; four great-nephews, Michael, Matthew and Andrew DeFoore, and Daniel Bolding; a sister-in-law, Opal Harris; and Mark, Dick and Judy Harris, nephews and niece by marriage.

Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, May 10, 2025 at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow at Gracelawn Cemetery, under the direction of Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home of Van Buren, AR.

Pallbearers will be family.

The family will visit with friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 9, 2025, at Edwards Van-Alma Funeral Home, 4100 Alma Highway, Van Buren, AR.

Please help flood the chapel with purple attire as this was Miss Shirley’s favorite color.