Shirley M. Harris

Shirley M. Harris, 80, of Grinnell, died July 28, 2018, at St. Francis Manor in Grinnell.

A memorial service has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 2 at the Grinnell United Church of Christ-Congregational with Pastor Matt Oleson, Newburg-Chester Church. Burial will be in Chester Cemetery, north of Grinnell. Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1 at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell, with the family present from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday evening. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be designated to Chester Cemetery or the Newburg-Chester Church.

Shirley was born March 5, 1938, the daughter of Gerrit R. and Alice Parmelia Hawkins VanderLeest. She was raised in the Newton and Kellogg areas and was a 1957 graduate of Kellogg High School. On Sept. 22, 1957, she was united in marriage with Henry Harris at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. A union of 60 years! The couple farmed in Chester Township, north of Grinnell, where they raised their family.

Shirley was employed with JD’s Restaurant, Hammond’s Hallmark store and later Kelcy’s Restaurant, all in Grinnell. For 20 years, she mowed the grounds at Chester Cemetery, which she enjoyed doing.

She was an active member of the Newburg-Chester Church, where she taught both Sunday school and bible school, and she was a member of the Sonora Grange. She enjoyed her Thursday morning coffee group with her bowling girls.

Shirley had a passion for bowling and for 50 years she bowled on league teams in Grinnell and Newton. She loved the lake life, boating and camping in area campgrounds. She always found time for sewing.

She is survived by her husband, Henry of Grinnell; four children, Debra Arment, Vickie (Mark) Rutherford, Kim (Tom) Patten and Mike (Misty) Harris, all of Grinnell; 10 grandchildren, Justin (Shannon) Arment of Brooklyn, Corey (LaRae) Arment of Toddville, Amber (Brian) Lewis of Grinnell, Holli (Brett) Robbins of Waterloo, Nick (Josie Leshen) Rutherford of Grinnell, Brett and Blake Morrison of Grinnell, Emily Patten of Rochester, Minn., and Gregory Foshee and Emalee Harris of Grinnell; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters, Beverly (Carlo) Supino of Newton and Roberta Lewis of Berwick; and one brother, Robert (Carmen) VanderLeest of Newton. She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Delores McMasters and Janet Eilander; and a brother in infancy.