Gloria Catherine Harris, 91, died Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019. She was born to the late Mary Elizabeth Harris Dec. 22, 1927, in Danville. She spent her early years living on a farm with her mother and grandparents, Morton and Annie Harris, in Sutherlin.
Her sons, Darnell Williams and Mitchell Williams, preceded her in death. She also had three brothers and one sister who preceded her in death, Vennie, Charles, James and Ilillian.
From 1st through 7th grades, she attended Sutherlin School. Some of her favorite childhood memories included fishing in the creek and shopping at the Curb Market. Her least favorite memory was the big green worms with horns. Because they lived on a farm, her chores included shucking corn and picking tobacco leaves which had lots of worms. These worms were also on the tomato vines. She didn’t mind picking the little ones, but if there were big worms, she would call her brothers to get them. If they weren’t around, she would use a stick, which would tear the tobacco leaves. Gloria got into a lot of trouble doing this.
When she was 15, she moved to Lee Hall to live with her uncle, William Harris, and attended Morrison High School. Later, she moved in with her mother and stepfather, Vennie Willard Overby, and graduated from Morrison in 1947.
Gloria’s claim to fame in high school was to be selected as the student with the most money. This distinction is listed in her yearbook. She notes that when other students didn’t have money — she always had some. Penny loafers were very popular in 1947. Unlike most of her classmates, Gloria had quarters in her loafers rather than pennies. Her loafers were spit-shined to a high finish and polished every night.
It is also in high school that Gloria first met Thomas Williams, her future husband, a Navy man. At the time, she was heard to remark “Huh, I know I don’t like him.” Shortly thereafter, they went to the movies. Her brother James was sent along as a chaperon. Thomas and Gloria were married March 27, 1948, in Chatham. Her brother, Charles, and her grandparents, Morton and Annie Harris, were present. She wore a new grey coat, a grey suit and brown suede shoes. They delayed plans for a honeymoon. They intended to visit Thomas’ father in New Jersey, but they never did.
The newlyweds lived for a few years with Thomas’s mother, Amanda Wright. Their first child, Phyllis, was born Jan. 30, 1949. Gloria always said that when she got married, she would have two children, a boy and a girl. She would name the boy Darnell after her favorite singer, Larry Darnell. She would name the girl Phyllis after a cousin who had a beautiful handwriting. She did have her boy and girl, and she added four more to the mix, Thomassenia, Carolyn, Mitchell and Gloria.
Each summer, Gloria returned to the farm with her children where they would spend a week experiencing farm life: stringing tobacco, slopping the pigs, milking the cows, plucking chickens and shucking corn. Her children got to enjoy buttermilk biscuits, homemade preserves and fishing in the same creek she did when she was growing up. She also gave her grandparents a helping hand by letting Darnell and Mitchell spend the summers there helping to work the farm.
Gloria’s love of music and dance came in her later years. She says that she started off buying records for her kids and later started buying them for herself. Gloria amassed a huge stack of 45s and albums. Some of her favorite artists were: Al Green, Percy Sledge, James Brown and someone she remembers fondly as Turban Man — she couldn’t remember his real name. Her friend, Miss Kat, always said that if she ever heard of anyone needing someone to work in a record store, she would give them Gloria’s name. Gloria could name every song and every artist. After years of watching other people dance, one day she decided to get on the floor. And you couldn’t get her off! She loved it.
Gloria’s love of fishing was passed on to her son, Darnell, and she shared this love with her grandchildren by taking them fishing when they visited her during the summer months. They often went out on boats or spent a lot of time fishing from the Hampton Pier. She and her daughter, Phyllis, went fishing from the James River and Hampton piers on numerous occasions. She was willing and ready to go whenever the opportunity arose.
In 1959, the family moved to Newport News and Gloria began her long career as a cook at Patrick Henry Hospital. Her mother, Mary Overby, who was already employed at Patrick Henry as a cook, helped her get the job. Gloria retired in January 1991 after 31 years of service. Gloria held a number of jobs in her lifetime, from working as a waitress and cook to include part-time work at Sears, Roebuck and Company from 1980 until 1987. From 1991 to 1994, she served as a companion to an elderly senior.
Over the years, Gloria and Thomas raised their six children, became the proud owners of their very first home in Hampton 1971 and welcomed many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Although Gloria suffered a stroke in 1995, it did not diminish her capacity to enjoy life.
For the last 18 years, she lived at the Tidewater Senior Apartments, where she enjoyed playing bingo and participating in other activities. She was a member of the Temple of Peace Church in Newport News, where she was a nurse’s aide. Also, she was considered the mother of the church and member of the pastor’s aide. She was a member of the Hampton Senior Center and the Family & Friends Meeting Group as well as the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program from 1992 to 1995.
Gloria especially loved going to the casino and had no regrets about the amount of money she spent. She jumped at any chance to travel. Over the years, she traveled to many places, often accompanied by her two surviving sisters, Bettie and Minnie. She started the annual Harris & Overby July 4th celebration which has continued since 1976.
Last, but not least, she loved spending time with her large extended family. She is survived by her daughters, Phyllis Williams, Thomassenia Peartree, Carolyn Moore and Gloria Jones (Edward); daughter-in-law, Marsha Williams; two sisters, Bettie Davis and Minnie Davidson; 15 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, cousins and nephews.
A homegoing service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, at Cooke Bros. Funeral Chapel.
Share online condolences with the family at Cooke Bros. Funeral Chapel & Crematory.
