Louise Harris

Louise M. Harris, 98, of Spartanburg, SC, died peacefully Friday, December 16, 2016. Born Charity Louise Myers on May 7, 1918, in Rogersville, TN, she was the third child and oldest daughter of Roy and Gertrude Myers, who raised a family of eight children. Louise grew up in Nashville and Jefferson City, TN. She attended Carson-Newman College where she majored in Home Economics with a minor in French, graduating in 1939. For two years, Louise taught at Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy, and then in 1941, she entered graduate school with a fellowship at the University of Tennessee and studied Textiles and Clothing with a minor in Art. Louise earned her Master's Degree in 1943 and married James Olin (Pete) Harris, whom she had met at Carson-Newman College. She and Pete then lived in Anniston, AL, where Pete worked in a lab supporting the war effort while Louise worked in a bank and taught general science at Anniston High School. In 1946, their first son, Philip, was born, and Louise became a full time mother and housewife, who sewed tailored clothing and cooked wonderful meals. The family then returned to Knoxville, for Pete to finish his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Tennessee. In 1950, they moved to West Virginia where Pete did research for Monsanto and their second son, Joel, was born. Pete's career took the family to Akron, OH in 1962. He retired from industry in 1975 and started a second career, teaching Chemistry at Claflin College in Orangeburg, SC. Louise served as Pete's unofficial secretary, typing tests and correspondence, and she also helped run their 28-acre farm, raising cows, pigs, quail, bantam chickens, Guinea fowl, and Brittany Spaniels. In 2004, Louise and Pete moved off the farm to the Methodist Oaks where Louise continued to sew and knit, and see to Pete's care in an Alzheimer's facility. Pete died in the spring of 2007, and Louise continued to reside another nine years at the Oaks in assisted living where she was quite independent: taking care of her own affairs, paying her bills, and staying in touch with family. Earlier this year, after her health began to decline, Philip and Joel moved Louise to Spartanburg, where she could be closer to Philip and his wife, Reyne, who saw to her medical care and other needs. A highlight of the past year for Louise was being featured in the "Chef Spotlight" of a cookbook supplement published in the Spartanburg newspaper in October. Philip had submitted several of her recipes to the paper on her behalf, which were included in the supplement. Louise was a 40-year-long member of the Orangeburg Lutheran Church. She is survived by her sons, Philip (Reyne) and Joel (Frances); her grandchildren, Matthew, Sarah, and Peter; and great-grandchildren Olivia and Alice Louise. Louise's legacy continues with her loving family and the many lives she touched and helped during the course of her long life. The family will host a memorial service honoring her life at 11:00 AM Wednesday, December 28, 2016, in the Amos Chapel of the Sheffield Health Care Center at The Oaks, 1000 Methodist Oaks Drive, Orangeburg, SC 29115. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Habitat for Humanity International, 121 Habitat Street, Americus, GA 31709-3498; or a local Habitat organization.