Thelma Eliza Harris

Thelma Eliza Harris passed away peacefully on Thursday April 18, 2013 at the age of 102. She was predeceased by her husband of 51 years, Frank S. Harris. She is survived by son Glenn Harris of Greenbelt, MD; son Gene Harris and his wife Karen; three grandchildren, Bryan Harris and his wife Jennifer, Robin Harris, and Valerie Catrow and her husband Ross; and one great-grandchild, “J.R.” Catrow, all of Richmond.

She was born Thelma Eliza Montgomery in Arden, Manitoba, Canada on January 5, 1911. She and her family moved between Ontario and Manitoba before emigrating to Los Angeles, CA in 1925. She married Frank in 1943 in Los Angeles, and they relocated to Ashland, Virginia in 1951 and then to Richmond in 1952. She remained in the Richmond area for the rest of her life.

For about 50 years, she played both piano and organ, directed children’s choirs, and sang in the adult choirs at Lakeside and Brookland Methodist Churches in Richmond. She and Frank were both active participants in several capacities at both churches. She also taught piano privately for many years, and she pursued a number of craft activities, producing high-quality needlework, paintings, and knitted items for friends and family.

Frank and Thelma raised their two sons in Glen Allen, VA. After Frank passed away in 1994, Thelma remained in Glen Allen until well into her nineties. She was able to maintain her home on her own for several years and always enjoyed yard work. Even after she no longer had home ownership responsibilities, she looked back fondly on the years when she could do her own home upkeep activities. She spent her last years at Imperial Plaza. The family wishes to express special thanks to the caregivers at Imperial Plaza and all of Thelma’s home health aides from Care Advantage, especially Valarie Foster, Dot Cary, and Shirley Tolliver.

A memorial service will take place at Brookland United Methodist Church, 2501 Staples Mill Rd., Richmond 23230 on Wednesday, May 1st at 12:30 PM. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the individual’s favorite charity, or to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018, or to the American Parkinson Disease Association, 135 Parkinson Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305.