Harris, Mary (Burns) 1874-1930

HARRIS, BURNS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 8/28/2012 at 11:01:59

The Grinnell (IA) Herald; Nov. 21, 1930

MRS. HARRIS BURIED HERE
-----------------------
Funeral Services For Former Grinnell Woman Are Held Thursday Afternoon.
-----------------------
SERVICES ARE CONDUCTED BY REV. E.M. VITTUM.
-----------------------
Mrs. Harris Died in Boulder, Colo., But For Many Years Resided in This Community.
-----------------------

The funeral of Mrs. Oscar Harris was held Thursday in the Snyder funeral parlors conducted by Rev. E.M . Vittum. Music were two songs by Mrs. Margery Bouma with Mrs. F.R. Porter at the piano. The songs were "Come Unto Me" and "No Night There."

Mr. Vittum spoke of the life of the woman who had passed away. She was born in 1874 at upper Montclair, New Jersey, where she was in the congregation over which President Gates presided and soon after he came to Grinnell she felt the call of the west and followed the Gates family to this place.

She was left an orphan at an early age and was thrown almost entirely upon her own resources. She entered the academy of Grinnell college and after two years she became a member of the class of 1893 graduating in June when but nineteen years and two months old, at that time said to be the youngest of any of the graduates going out from Grinnell.

She had no other home and so lived here after her graduation, teaching school part of the time and doing other work which came to her with a willingness and efficiency which made her friends of all whom she knew.

Oct. 9, 1902, she married O.D. Harris, a carpenter of this place and they lived happily here until 1925. As a carpenter and contractor he had bcome acquainted with the Berry McAlister Chapter House Company whose business it was to build fraternity houses. This company is a strong contracting company with headquarters at Columbia, Missouri, and from the time he entered their employ as a superintendent and general manager he has been engaged in overseeing the construction of fraternity houses in all parts of the country.

In 1925 Mr. and Mrs. Harris moved to Oklahoma and then for a year they were residents of Morgantown, West Virginia. Last March they moved to Boulder, Colo., where Mr. Harris' business called him.

Mrs. Harris was taken sick about three weeks before her death and passed away Sunday, Nov. 16. Grinnell had been her home since 1887 and it seemed proper to have her burial in the home town where she had spent so many years of an active life.

Mr. Vittum spoke of the quiet character and usefulness of the lady who had gone before, paying a fine compliment to her usefulness and active life. Bearers were people whom she knew well in her active life here: A.M. Burton, W.J. Nelson, W.G. Ray, Percy Goff, V.G. Preston, and Louis Kutish.

Friends and relatives from other towns who were present to attend the funeral services were: Mr. and Mrs. Emmet Huston and Mrs. Jones Harris of Lynnville, Ia.; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Roth of Boone, Iowa; Mrs. Wm. Simpson and Mrs. Jack Watson of Des Moines, Ia.; Mrs. Lena Mintle of Gilman, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Ben Thompson and daughters, Doris and Bessie of Searsboro; and Mrs. Lou Rommel and Mrs. Estes Danlap of Reynolds, Ill.