Mae Frances (Watkins) Harris

Mrs. Harris, affectionately called Frances by everyone, was born on Sunday, November 3, 1929 in Montgomery County, NC, to the late Lymon Horne and Gertrude Watkins Ferguson.

Frances was educated in the Montgomery County Public School System.  She accepted Christ as her personal savior at an early age.  She was a member of Clark's Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where she was the Church Mother.

On December 24, 1949, she was united in holy matrimony to Richard Harris, and to this union, they were blessed with six wonderful children, whom she loved dearly to the end.   Frances was employed with the Montgomery County School System for 10 years.  She retired from BC Moore's Department Store in Troy, NC, after 30 years of dedicated and loyal service.  " Mrs. Mae", as she was also called, worked a Chief Judge for the Board of Elections and a receptionist for the Council on Aging.  She was always smiling, loved to talk,  wearing her hats cordinating with her outfits,  and never meeting a stranger.  She will be sorely missed.  Her husband of 64 years,  Richard preceded her in death, March 16, 2013.  Others who preceded her in death were her parents, a brother, Daniel Deberry and a grandson, Desmond Harris.

Those left to cherish her memory and to continue her legacy, are her devoted six children; Barry Harris and Carol Harris-Pemberton, both of Mount Gilead, NC, Gregory Harris (Susan) of Hinesville, GA, Royce Harris (Donna) of Mount Gilead,NC, Deborah Harris of Charlotte,NC and Rhonda Harris Adjip (Greg Smith) of Lithonia, GA;  special son, Charles Watkins (Patricia) of Ellicott, MD; special daughter, Norma Jean Thomas of Mt. Gilead, NC;  one sister, Mary Massey of Newark, NJ; one brother-in-law, Amos Harris (Joann) of Mount Gilead, NC; one sister-in-law, Vanessa Deberry of Albemarle, NC; close cousins, Carolyn Cooke, Betty Slaughter and Franklin "Pete" Watkins; 11 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great-grandchildren, and a host of cousins, other relatives and  dear friends.