Judith Harris

Judith Ann Updegraff Harris, Ph.D., age 81, died on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at her home after a short illness.  She was born in Baltimore, MD, and a daughter of the late Clarence Theodore and Edith Marguerite Garrett Updegraff.

Dr. Harris was an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, teaching for over 25 years Criminal Justice and Sociology at University of South Carolina Upstate.  She earned her bachelor’s degree, graduating Magna Cum Laude at Towson University, Baltimore, MD and her master’s and Ph.D., at the University of Chicago.  She was the author and presenter of numerous professional publications nationwide to multiple organizations over the course of her career.  In her time away from the school, she was a Past Vice President of the League of Women Voters, and a longtime volunteer with the Spartanburg Humane Society.  She loved spending time with her dog Noah and riding horses.

Surviving Dr. Harris are her daughter, Bonnie J. Harris of Hanover, PA, her son, William R. Harris, III (Nicole) of Centreville, MD, two grandchildren, Brianna Harris Moriarty (Aaron) and Christopher Harris of Centreville, MD, her sister, Donna Updegraff Stephenson (Dennis) of Chicago, IL, three nieces, Libby Hughes (Sean), Mary Stephenson and Claire Stephenson and four great-nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, April 22, at Lake View Memorial Park in Sykesville, MD with the Pastor David Schafer officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the following organizations.

The Salvation Army, https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/north-south-carolina/legacy-and-estate-gifts-s, Disabled American Veterans,  https://www.dav.org/ways-to-give, St. Jude’s Childrens Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org/give.html, St. Joseph’s Indian School, https://give.stjo.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2840&2840.donation=form1, Spartanburg Humane Society, https://spartanburghumane.org/donation-submission/ or the Best Friends Animal Society, https://bestfriends.org/.