Sandra Gail (Mitchell) Harris (80) passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on August 17, 2024, in Nashville TN.
She grew up in the tiny town of Blue Mountain in North Mississippi, where she attended Blue Mountain Baptist College. After graduation she began her long teaching career in Memphis, Tn. Eventually settling down in Franklin. There she taught second grade for over 30 years. After retirement she continued to be involved in the Franklin special School District as a substitute teacher.
Sandra was a long-time member of Oak Valley Baptist Church. It was there that she met her husband, Richard (Dick) Harris. Together they enjoyed helping with VBS, hosting pool parties for the youth group, and quite possibly her favorite, the annual trunk or treat.
Sandra had a strong belief in the power of prayer and of positivity. She had an amazing ability to ALWAYS see the positive, even in the most difficult times.
She had a love of reading that she proudly passed on to generations. She loved the movies but would always tell you, “That the book was better”. (She wasn’t wrong) When you didn’t find her reading, you could usually find her outside. She loved gardening and watching the birds and animals outside while she drank her morning coffee. If she wasn’t in the yard or on her back porch, she was traveling with her husband. Some of their favorite spots were short trips to Miss Patty’s in Grand Rivers, KY and the Cumberland County Playhouse in Crossville, Tn.
Sandra’s last few hours were spent surrounded by her loved ones laughing, crying, and sharing stories of just how much love she gave and how much she was loved.
Sandra is preceded in death by: her son, Mitch DuAime, parents Ruffin and Ina Mitchell, and her sister JoAnn Cox
She is survived by: her husband Richard Harris; daughter Jennifer (John) Redman; grandchildren Catherine (Matt) Waltermeyer, Cameron (Ashleigh) Jones, Caitlin (Kanan) Vitolo, Claire (Cody) Greenwald, Glen Redman, and John Phillip Redman; great grandchildren Matthew and Lilly Waltermeyer, Jennifer Grace Redman, John Carter and Asher Jones, and August Tristian Vitolo; niece Cyndy (Buz) McGuire; nephew Jeff (Donna) Cox
“A mother’s wisdom is a voice that echoes in our hearts long after she is gone.”
Visitation will be Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 11:00AM at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home in Franklin, TN, with a memorial service following at 2:00PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to The American Heart Association or The American Cancer Society.
