Billie Jean Harris was born in the Cedar Grove Community on February 23, 1923
She passed from this life on December 21, 2015 at the age of 92. At the time of her death she was residing at the Legends Health Care. She was the baby daughter of
William Erb Wilson and Gertie Ethel Williams Wilson. She married W.J. (Bill) Harris on March 23, 1946. Her funeral service will be held on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. at Coker Mathews Funeral Home. Officiating will be her son-in-law, Rev. Royce Litchfield and her great grandson Rev. Ryan Litchfield. Burial will follow at Memoryland Memorial Park.
The day she was born, her siblings were so excited. After school the children stopped at their aunt’s house and she told them to run home because they had a new baby.
When they arrived home they were so excited that she was a girl, especially her sister Mae and her brother Willie. She told many stories of the fun and adventures she and her siblings had together.
When her family moved to Greenville, she had several jobs. She worked as a teenager at a restaurant. She later worked at the Hankerchief Factory, Henson’s, Shirey’s and retired from E-Systems. At one time she and her husband operated Dairy Bar on Wesley St.
She volunteered at Lamar school and the Middle School and Greenville
She was a great cook and her nieces always bragged on her spaghetti. She loved visiting with her family and having them in her home. She and her family loved visiting her relatives in Oklahoma and were happy when they returned her visit.
She loved poetry. She wrote many poems and even had some published. Several years ago, her eyesight begin to fail and that ended her writing. She loved to dance. She was often seen at the Colonial Lodging dancing with her walker. She could be very funny at times. She loved the Candlelight Dinners. She had the most wonderful memory. Her family was amazed at how she pulled up memories from the past. The last few weeks she became very tired and was in pain.
Her appearance was very important to her. She loved clothes. Very conscious about her appearance. Just last week when she was so ill one day she said “Probably I look real old now. “ She was assured she did not. She and her husband loved to go to garage sales and find pretty trinkets. When you went over she usually had a new treasure that she had purchased.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, an infant son, Gary Keith. Siblings Ebb Wilson, Walter Wilson, Willie Wilson, Mae Stanford, Jessie Hardridge and infant sister, Jimmie Belle Wilson.
She is survived by Linda Litchfield and husband Royce, Billy Wayne Harris and wife Rebecca, Deborah Lynn Ripple and husband Troy. Many grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
She will have a great time at her “First Christmas in Heaven” with family members and many friends.
A Special thank you to the Colonial Lodge, Legends especially Willie, Erma, and Wendy and Gentivia Hopsice Care.
Pallbearers will be grandsons, Jeff Litchfield, Bryan Litchfield, Kendall Litchfield, Mylon Wallace, Richard Harris and Robert Graham.