Iva Louise Harris

Iva Louise (Williams) Harris, 101, passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 28, 2016 in a care facility in Boise, Idaho. Although we are sad to see her go, we are thankful she is with her loved ones in heaven and free of pain and concern.

Iva was born December 2, 1914 on a farm in an area west of Olathe, KS known as Camp Branch. She was the youngest of 8 children, the only one born in Kansas. (All the rest were born in Missouri.) She was the daughter of Amos Leronzo Williams of Asbury, WV and Fannie Elizabeth (Whitson) of Peculiar, MO. Her maternal grandmother, Mary Jane (Watson) Whitson, also lived in their home and was Iva's rock. In Iva's memories, her eldest sister, Lillie (Suddarth) was not in the home, as she was already married. Iva was an aunt by the age of 2. Iva's other siblings were: Marie, who never married; Kathryn (Patton); Fleeta, who never married; her brother Kermit; Ethel, who never married; and Hazel, who died in infancy.

During her early school years, Iva attended several country one-room schools north of Olathe. She and her siblings had to walk as far as 3 1/2 miles one way, no matter the weather. In the winter, even though they clung to hot potatoes or heated rocks in their pockets, they still arrived at school so cold they never took their coats off. When they lived on "The Brick Farm" next to the railroad tracks a short distance from "The Poor Farm," they followed the tracks part of the way to school. Along the way, they would sometimes see coyotes, bobcats, or bums camping in the brush. They even found Indian arrowheads that were unearthed when the tracks were laid. Their lunch buckets didn't hold much, sometimes only a sandwich made of bread and bacon grease. When the family had to move from "The Brick Farm" into town, Iva cried. She was always a country girl at heart.

Iva attended school in town and had a hard time adjusting to her teachers at first. But, she came to love the town school and loved spelling and penmanship the best. (As adults, she and her husband would sometimes sit at the dining room table practicing their penmanship and comparing their work. Since Monty learned to write in Washington State, his penmanship was of a different style, but they both wrote beautifully.) Iva was able the make many friends at school that lasted a lifetime. Through the years, she wrote letters to her friends and even some of her former teachers. She kept cards that people sent to her and placed them in scrapbooks. One of her friends invited her to the First Baptist Church and that changed her life.

The first time she went to Sunday School, everything sounds like Greek to her. The only time she had ever heard God's name was when her Dad was swearing. But she found out there is a loving Father in heaven who accepted her just as she was, even though their family was among the poorest in town.

She attended that church through her teens and on through the war years of WWII.

Poverty was no stranger to the Williams family. Iva often said that when the Depression hit, they barely felt it. There were no fancy dolls for Christmas.....there was only a can of hard candy for the entire family to share. Dresses and quilts were made from flour sacks, food was scarce, and everyone except Kermit shared a bed. Iva and her sister, Ethel, slept on either side of Grandma Whitson in a double bed. They would put their cold feet in Grandma's lap and she would hold them until they warmed up.

Illness and tragedy were familiar to the family, as well. In the late 1920's and early 1930's, a tuberculosis epidemic broke out. Almost every home in Olathe had a black wreath on the door, because someone had died of the terrible disease. Iva's sister, Marie, cared for sister Fleeta when she got it. Fleeta was engaged to be married, but succumbed to the disease. She was 21. Ethel was next and passed away at 19. By then, Marie had contracted the disease and was sent to the tuberculosis sanitorium in Norton, KS. Not long after that, Iva had symptoms and was sent there for 11 months during her senior year of high school. When it was time for Iva to return home, she begged to stay longer. She knew when she went home all the work of caring for her invalid mother and invalid grandmother would fall to her and she wanted to go back to school. But, she was sent home anyway. It would be several years before she could return to night school (in the 1950's) and earn her GED. Her friends felt so bad for her that they insisted she dress in her cap and gown anyway and have a picture taken. They knew she would finish one day!

In 1940, she met LaMonte Harris, formerly of Carnation, Washington when he came to church one day at the invitation of his employer. A year later, they were married in secret in the parlor of their pastor's boarding house in Olathe one night after church. It was 2 weeks before the news got out that they were married. They were both 25 at the time. Iva still cared for her mother (Grandma had passed the year before) and worked part time jobs in Olathe - as a doctor's office receptionist, a variety store clerk and at the Johnson County Clerk's office.

When WWII broke out, her husband was drafted and was stationed at Ft. Leavenworth. They lived there when their son, Paul, was born at the fort hospital in 1943. When Monty was shipped to Europe, Iva and Paul lived with her sister, "Kitty" and her husband Andy in Olathe. Iva saved her money so she could get a nice rental when Monty came home. In 1949, their daughter Mary Sue was born in Kansas City, KS.

The little family moved to Overland Park in 1951 and bought a brand new house and the adjoining lot at 8510 Antioch Rd. There, they raised their family and began attending a new church in the area, the Lakeview Church of the Nazarene (later, the Antioch Church of the Nazarene). These were happy years with the kids attending school, Monty working at the Kansas City main post office and Iva being a stay-at-home Mom. She started inviting her relatives to the church and eventually most of them came and became regular attendees....Marie, Kitty, Andy and niece, Dorothy and Luke Hamblin and their girls. There was always something going on at church or within the family to make life enjoyable. Picnics, day trips, parties, friends and family to share a meal.

During these years and after the children left home, Iva and Monty travelled. Monty took pictures and Iva kept diaries of these trips. They drove mostly in the north and west from coast to coast and up into Canada. Along the way, they researched their family history and met distant cousins and visited ancestral homes.

Iva was a member of the Shawnee Mission chapter of the DAR. Monty did most of the research for her so she could join. Because she didn't drive anymore, Monty drove and attended the meetings with her.

Monty, the love of Iva's life, passed away in January 2013. He was 97 and they both were still living at home. Mary stayed with her mother until Iva went to live in assisted living in Olathe and son, Paul, went to visit her often, taking care of her needs. Then suddenly in September 2013, Paul passed away. Mary and her husband stayed a month after the funeral to be near Iva and decide what to do next. They finally determined that it was best to move her to Idaho to live with them.

Life was certainly different in Idaho! Every time she saw the surrounding mountains, Iva would comment, "I'm sure not in Kansas anymore." She became a part of the congregation at Nampa First Church of the Nazarene. Everyone loved her. When asked how she was, she would usually answer, "Mean as ever." (Of course, she wasn't.) She wanted to participate, even though she used a walker or wheelchair. She contributed to the "Shoe Box Ministry" at Christmas time, giving gifts to needy children in town. She helped the Heart and Hands Quilters at church by sorting buttons, lace and trims so they could make little dresses and little britches to send overseas. She helped her son-in-law snap the green beans he grew in his garden. She loved being around her grandson Jonathan's kids for the first time and his wife's family who lived in the area. Almost every month there was a birthday or holiday to celebrate.

Iva celebrated her 99th, 100th and 101st birthdays in Idaho. On her 100th birthday, grandson Todd of Iowa and granddaughter April of Oregon came to be with her. A Hawaiian restaurant was reserved, a luau was prepared and the hula dancers entertained. Also, a bagpiper played for Iva to honor her Scottish heritage.

Iva had some definite favorites. Cats, for one. So when 2 stray cats appeared on the patio, she was thrilled. Of course, her daughter had to start feeding them. Iva loved to watch animal shows like "Too Cute" on TV, old Tarzan movies, vintage cowboy movies and the 700 Club.

Because of a fall on New Year's Eve, she received a fracture in a vertebrae in her upper back. It caused so much pain, she declined in health over a period of 2 1/2 months. Finally, she became so weak she could no longer walk and Mary and Lowell could not meet her physical needs. Iva was only in a care facility for 2 weeks before she passed away.

Iva Is survived by her daughter, Mary, and her husband, Rev. Lowell Keene of Nampa, ID.

She is also survived by her 5 grandchildren: April (Keene) McNeill (OR), Todd Harris (IA), Jonathan Keene (ID), Ryan Harris (MN), and Malia (Keene) Johnston (CO). Also, 11 great-grandchildren: Devon, Grayson & Hayden McNeill (OR); Kaitlyn and Jenna Harris (IA); Aurora, Asher, Adrielle & Josiah Keene (ID); Noah and Micah Johnston (CO). Her great-great granddaughter is Lorelei McNeill (OR), who is 95 years to the day younger than Iva.

Iva is also survived by her nephew, Bill Suddarth, of Yates Center, KS; nephew, Harold Suddarth, of Olathe, KS; niece Patricia O'Connor of Caliente, NV. Iva has many surviving great-nephews and great-nieces in several states around the country.

She is buried at the Peculiar Cemetery beside her husband and near many of her family members.

Kansas funeral arrangements were made through McGilley & Hoge Johnson County Memorial Chapel and Idaho arrangements were made through the Nampa Funeral Home.

Visitation will be at McGilley & Hoge Chapel in Overland Park, KS on Wednesday, April 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Interment will be in Peculiar, MO on Thursday, April 7 at 11:00 a.m. Memorial Service will be afterward at 1:00 p.m. at the McGilley & Hoge Chapel. Condolences for the family may be left at www.mcgilleyhoge.com. Arr: McGilley & Hoge, 8024 Santa Fe Dr., Overland Park, KS 66204. (913) 642-3565