Mary Harris

Mary Alice New Harris, age 85, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on December 24, 2016. She was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 20, 1931 and was the third child of the late Noah and Elizabeth New.

Mary graduated from Murphy High School in Atlanta in 1949 and attended University of Georgia in Atlanta. In 1954 she married Howard Harris and, upon his graduation from Georgia Tech, they set off for the Northeast to seek their fortune. After living in Wilmington, Delaware, Greenwich Village, Kennebunkport Maine, and Jackson Heights, NY they settled in Stamford in 1964.

Mary is survived by three children and six grandchildren: her daughter Lisa Harris and her granddaughter Katya; her son Howard Harris, daughter-in-law Suzy and her grandchildren Parker, his wife Molly, Tyler and Grant; her daughter Dianne Bankoski and her grandchildren Melissa and Jacob, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a brother, Major General Noah C. New and a sister JoAnn Armstrong.

Mary was a successful contract bridge player and a competitive golfer having won the Stamford City Championship several times. She was an avid NY Mets and UConn women’s basketball fan and her leisure moments were spent watching sports on TV-particularly college basketball and tennis. She was a devoted fan to her children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events and she never missed a game.

Her devotion to her children extended beyond her attendance at events. She was the backbone of the family yet she never failed to express her love to her children and grandchildren. Her spunk and spirit will be missed by all who knew her.

The family will receive friends on Friday January 6, 2017 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Leo P. Gallagher, 2900 Summer Street, Stamford, CT. The funeral will be at the First United Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2017. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in her name to the local Boys and Girls Club or to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation