Mary Harris

Mary Marbell McRae Harris, 96, departed this life on November 12, 2019, after 13 years of declining health.

Sister Harris was born November 22, 1922, in Jackson Springs, NC.  She graduated from Peabody High School in Troy, NC.  Sister Mary Harris started the first Day Care Home, certified by Social Services, in High Point, NC.  The Day Care Home consisted of five children daily.  She loved to take care of the children she kept.

After making their home in Trinity, NC, for several years, Mary with husband, Elbert, moved their family to High Point, NC.  The family joined Temple Memorial Baptist Church and later First Emanuel Baptist Church.  While at First Emanuel Baptist she served faithfully as a member of the Senior Choir and a church missionary.  Sister Harris began attending Word of Life Tabernacle with her daughter.  After a few visits she became a member.  She would now enjoy singing with the choir from the audience, receive the preached word of God and the great fellowship.  Sister Harris would spend her summer month in Clearwater, Florida with her youngest daughter and her family.  She became a respectful Elder in the church, Elohim Ministries Training Center, ADCA in Clearwater, Florida.

Sister Harris loved the Lord and loved to be in His presence.  She had the boldness to minister to people about their salvation and healing.  She had a gift of healing and often, being led by the Holy Spirit, would talk with people about their pain, and then lay hands on them in the name of Jesus.  She would write her name and telephone on a piece of paper and tell them to call her with the report that their healing had manifested.  She could be in the grocery store, at someone’s house or on the street.  She didn’t care where God led her to do His Work.

She was preceded in death by her parents, the Rev. Chesley C. McRae and Mary Leak McRae, her husband, Elbert W. Harris, Six sisters and six brothers, one great grandson Michael Amir Harris, one son-in-law Pastor Michael Bennett and one daughter Eunice H. Sparks.

She leaves to cherish her memory:  two daughters, Elvenia Diggs (Larry) and Teresa Bennett and one god-daughter, Effie Washington (Chris) all of High Point, NC; two grandsons, Michael Harris of Kernersville, NC, DeDerreck Bennett (Christal), two granddaughter, Mi’khael Bennett and Ember Hamilla both of High Point, NC, three great grandchildren, Nadiyah Harris, Elijah Harris both of Kernersville, NC, and Yasmine Rodgers of New Port Richey, FL.; one great nephew, Wesley Gibson of High Point, NC; nieces, Mae Frances, Sylvia Ratley, Glinder Harris all of High Point, NC, Minister Irma Gunnels (Louis), San Antonio, TX.  Maxcine Owens, Jacksonville, FL, Arlene McDonald, Orangeburg, NJ;  Carolyn Ingram of Fayetteville, NC, Kim Watts of Salisbury, NC and Irene Davis of Atlanta, GA;  nephews, Charles Blue of Thomasville, NC, Lu McRae of Greensboro, NC, Sims Everett DeBerry and Haywood McRae both of High Point, NC, and Carlton Malloy of Oxon Hill, MD; there are a host of great nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.