She was born in St Paul’s Hospital and spent her early years in West Vancouver. Although her immediate family was small, the extended family included a large number of aunts, uncles and cousins living on the other side of Canada mainly in New Brunswick and Quebec.
Growing up, Louise enjoyed many activities and interests including art, music and dance, as well as skiing, sailing and horseback riding. Among her fondest memories, were riding holidays at Alta Lake and visits to Camp Artiban with her sister Jocelyn. At camp, they would often get more of their favourite dessert by yelling “yum, fish eyes and glue!” at the arrival of the tapioca pudding.
In 1948, Louise graduated from West Vancouver High and went on to attend The University of British Columbia for two years. It was there she met the love of her life, Cliff, when she joined the U.B.C. Square Dancing Club. She left University to attend Sprott-Shaw Business College and in 1951 graduated from Secretarial School. Over the next three years, Louise worked at three different jobs while continuing to date Cliff. On her resume she said “I left each of these positions to improve my experience in the business world. The last one I left to get married and move to Toronto.”
On August 30, 1954 Louise and Cliff were married in Vancouver. Their honeymoon was spent driving across the northern United States and Canada to Toronto where they would start their new life together. Cliff would begin work towards his Ph.D. in Biochemistry while Louise would work at Dow Chemical to help support them until 1957 when their first child Lawrence was born. Louise, who had never been afraid to speak her mind said “Clifford, we are getting a washing machine! I’ll not be washing dirty diapers in a bucket!” It was a good thing too, because they went on to have three more children while living in Toronto: Cindy in 1960, Geoff in 1961, and Donald in 1964.
While In Toronto, Louise and Cliff found time not only to dance, but also to sail, curl and play Bridge. Gatherings with friends and family, of whom they had many, were of high importance to both of them. Holidays with relatives on Wistowe Island on Lake Rosseau in Muskoka were treasured memories before and after the children were born.
In December of 1965, the family left Toronto on a train bound for Vancouver. Early in 1966, they bought a house in North Vancouver which would become the family home for 25 years. Cliff began his life work as Head of Clinical Chemistry at St Paul’s Hospital. Louise stayed home to raise their four, soon to be five, children with the birth of John in December of that year. As the children grew Louise’s indomitable spirit took wing, and for the rest of her able life she worked tirelessly to help others.
Louise started as a volunteer for Scouts Canada in the Ladies Auxiliary for ten years as well as teaching Sunday school at Highlands United Church for a year. She also worked for the B.C. Heart Foundation, the United Way and the B.C. Cancer Foundation for 10 years as a door-to-door canvasser as well as becoming an area coordinator for the B.C. Heart Foundation in 1980. She volunteered at the Vancouver Aquarium as a docent (teaching guide) for four years. Amidst all the volunteering Louise worked at several Art Galleries as well as doing odd secretarial jobs.
In 1986, Louise and Cliff’s fourth-born child Donald, was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Louise left her other volunteering positions to focus on the B.C. Friends of Schizophrenics, which would become the B.C. Schizophrenia Society (BCSS) in three years’ time. She began this journey by helping to organize a gala fundraiser called the Emerald Ball. She did this for four years, along with answering the helpline phones in the Provincial Office several days a week. Louise’s work with the BCSS would see her name included in “Circles of Power”, a book about influential people in Canada. The author referred to her as “an organizing dynamo behind the Emerald Ball.”
In 1989, after losing their youngest son John to illness, in 1988 tragedy struck again. Donald took his own life. During this time of deep sadness Louise found strength from within and went on with zeal to further her involvement with the organization, becoming President then Vice President of the local branch of the BCSS. Louise flourished, coordinating many volunteers to help implement outings and events for people living with mental illness in group homes as well as other parts of the community. One of the many fundraises “North Shore Walk the World” was a yearly event that the whole family took part in, husband, children and grandchildren.
In 1990, 92 and 94 Louise took her love of art and with great delight organized the “Exhibition of Art” by people with mental illness for the World Schizophrenia Conferences in Vancouver.
Louise also worked as a Family Representative on the Fraser Valley North Shore Mental Health Advisory Board as Coordinator of the Partnership Program. Here she was able to engage her passion for educating the public about mental health issues. Along with other organizations from Canadian Mental Health, Louise spoke publicly in Schools, Universities, Churches and many other venues, sharing stories and knowledge with people hoping to further understanding and acceptance of mental illness and the people who live with it. Louise also became involved in a Puppet Show named “Brother Where Are You” which originated in the U.S.A. It would see her making puppets and with a small group of volunteers performing in Elementary schools to grade four students. It was hoped the play would help children see mental illness from a human aspect and give some coping strategies to children living with mental illness within their families.
Louise loved to work with her hands. She got involved in lapidary and silversmithing, first tumbling rocks she had joyously collected and making jewellery with them. Later on, drawing, painting and sculpting caught her interest and she created many wonderful pieces of art for family and friends, even selling a few at the West Van Seniors Centre where she took art classes.
The Art Studios, a place where people with mental health issues can explore art therapy, was the last place Louise volunteered. It was here that she felt great delight and happiness using her art talents to help others. Here she also created her own artworks and soaked up the inspirational energy surrounding her. It was a magical place for her to finish a lifetime of volunteering.
Louise was a gregarious person who would offer help to someone whether she knew them or not. As a result, her life was full of many people who loved her, but no one as much as Cliff. They had an inseparable bond.
As a couple they shared many common interests and activities but dance was a thread that wove through their lives from the moment they met into their golden years;
Hand in hand they danced through life together.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MeM.com for the Harris family.
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