Rita Delaney Harris, 96, died on March 15, 2013 in Portland, Oregon. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10AM Friday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery. Father Allan McDonald and Father Richard Minch will officiate. The family will greet friends from 6 until 7:30 PM Thursday at Snow’s Memorial Chapel, Cherry Street. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to Mt. de Sales Academy, 851 Orange Street, Macon 31201or Jesuit Volunteer Corps: Northwest, P.O. Box 3928, Portland, Oregon 97208.
Mrs. Harris was married to the late Charles A. Harris of Macon, where she resided for over 53 years. She entered assisted living in Portland, Oregon in 2004 following a stroke and to be near family. Mrs. Harris was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the youngest of six children of Joseph Delaney (Bay Roberts, Newfoundland) and Ellen Lawton (Broad Cove, Newfoundland).
Mrs. Harris worked in civil service for forty years, including Macon’s Naval Ordnance Plant and Warner Robins Air Force Base, as a technical writer. She retired in 1981 and entered Wesleyan College, graduating in 1987 (at age 71) with a magna cum laude in English.
Rita was a prolific writer, sending out a monthly newsletter to dozens of friends. For fifty years, she made an annual trip to her native Boston to “renew her accent”. She was a former member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Macon and St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Portland. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many. Her trademark wit and stories remain cherished memories.
She is survived by one daughter, Ellen Harris Connell (husband Frank) of Portland, Oregon; grandchildren Timothy Connell (wife Claire) and Amy Waterbury (husband Curtis) of Portland, Oregon; Patrick Connell (wife Melissa) of Beverly, Massachusetts; and Brian Connell (wife Kristen) of Athens, Georgia; and eight great-grandchildren.
Visit www.snowsmacon.com to express tributes.
Snow’s Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Services, Cherry Street, has charge of arrangements.
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