Dolores (Ozzie) Wortham Harris

Dolores (Ozzie) Wortham Harris. age 86, passed away peacefully on Oct 24, 2011 in Austin. Texas. Dolores, called "Ozzie" by friends and family was born on April 18, 1925 to Lynne Albert Wortham and Ethel Roughton Wortham in Corsicana, Texas. When her mother was pregnant with her, her father jokingly referred to the unborn baby as "little Oswald". So, when a baby girl was born and named Dolores by her mother, her father stayed with Oswald and called her "Oz" or "Ozzie". The nickname stuck and she always preferred her nickname in lieu of the more formal Dolores.

Some of Ozzie's fondest childhood memories of growing up in Corsicana include meeting Will Rogers and Tom Mix at the Corsicana Daily Sun office. Her father was the editor and owned the Corsicana Daily Sun until the mid-60's. Other fond childhood memories include attending Camp Mystic during the summer.

Ozzie graduated from Corsicana High School in May 1941. Since she was barely 16 when she graduated, her parents sent her to Ward Belmont, a girls' school in Nashville, Tennessee for college. The girls were never allowed to leave the college campus without a chaperone.

With the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, her parents wanted her closer to Corsicana. So, she transferred to Texas State College for Women (now Texas Women's University) in Denton. She graduated in 1945 with a Journalism degree. After graduation, she worked for a radio station in Dallas.

On Feb. 15, 1947, Ozzie married fellow Corsicana native, Ed Harris. They moved to Austin in 1959 with their two daughters, Hollie and Lynne.

Ozzie adapted quickly to life in Austin. She volunteered as homeroom mother, Brownie leader and at Seton Hospital. Hobbies included painting, needlepoint, knitting, gardening and cooking. Also, she loved to play bridge with her friends. Driving her young daughters from activity to activity, Ozzie said she "felt like a Roadrunner". Thus, her lifelong collection of Roadrunner art started.

Between 1968 and 1971, Ozzie faced her most trying times. Her beloved father and husband died within 14 months of each other. A year later, she had a brain tumor removed. Ten years later, the 1981 Memorial Day flood damaged her home extensively. He great strength of character, close friends, family and God helped her through her darkest hours.

In later years, she worked part-time at her daughters' resale clothing store, Just Between Us. For 20 years, Ozzie did the secretarial work at Just Between Us. She loved being with her daughters and helping them out.

Ozzie had a great sense of humor. She was a strong, witty, independent, free-¬thinking woman. Ozzie was an avid newspaper reader and always clipping articles for her friends. Ozzie was always proud to be called a "yellow-dog Democrat".

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lynne and Ethel Wortham, her husband, Ed Harris, and her first cousin, Carey Kinsolving Miller.

Ozzie is survived by daughter Lynne and her husband Randy Reneau and daughter Hollie and her husband Spencer Gordon. Granddaughters include Aimee and husband Alex Tafreshi, Lacey Reneau, Whitney Lemond and Hayly Lemond. Great grand-children include Adair and Brooks.

Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011 at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar. Graveside services will be in Corsicana, Texas at Oakwood Cemetery on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 at 1:00 p.m.

The family would like to thank the staff at Christopher House, the Med Team and Heartland for their kind care of our mother. Also, special thanks to her close friend Milton for always being there for her.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Rd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78759