Mildred Leona (Lane) Harris
Mildred Leona (Lane) Harris gained her Heavenly Wings on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. Mildred was a Centennial Lady having celebrated her 100th birthday on Aug.1, 2024.
She married James Maxie Harris on May 15, 1942, in Navarro County. The majority of pre-retirement life was spent living in Arlington where Mildred worked many years as a professional seamstress for a privately owned line of newborn and baby clothing. She loved sewing and made most of her girls’ school clothes in the 1960s. Mildred was no stranger to the kitchen, being an excellent cook. She loved occasions to prepare meals for family gatherings for which she would plan and organize her menu for weeks ahead of time. Thanksgiving was her favorite time of year when most all her family was under one roof.
After retirement she and James (Harry) moved from Arlington to a home near the farm property they had bought in the 1950s located near Cotton Gin. They both loved caring for a small herd of cows and had horses as well as her favorite, goats and chickens. Mildred went to work in the Teague ISD as cafeteria staff where she served up lunch to students for 10 years.
Her love of God and faith in His promises was paramount in her life, a member of the Church of Christ.
Mildred was loved by all who knew her, and she cherished her many, many friends and family members.
Her spare time was spent sewing and hand embroidering, cooking, and of course taking care of her lawn. She was a stickler about the lawn being in a pristinely manicured state year-round. She was known in her neighborhood as the lady that push-mowed her lawn at least twice a week well into her 90s. She drove until her 96th birthday and lived on her own until just after her 97th at which time she agreed to move to her son-in-law’s and daughter’s home located on the farm near Cotton Gin.
Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Jethro Lane and Mattie Jane Liles Lane; husband, James (Harry) Harris; daughter, Linda Kaye Calame; and grandson, David Allen Harris.
She is survived by son, Ronny Harris and wife Genny of Arlington; grandson, Matthew Harris of South Carolina; granddaughter, Becca Emmitte of Florida; daughter, Deborah Thomas and husband Tony of Teague; grandson, Cliff Thomas and wife Trisha and great-grandchildren Claire and Jack Thomas of Boerne; grandson, Bryan Calame and wife Rachel of Rendon; and great-granddaughter Macee Bartlett and husband Nathan of Rendon and great-great-grandchildren Teagan and Saylor. Mildred leaves behind many nieces and nephews, and countless lifelong friends who together create a large group of folks who will always miss her, each one able to recite a fun-fact about this wonderful woman.
Born to parents who were farmers in Navarro County, she was given full charge of the kitchen at a young age, like many of her time. By the age of 8 she could catch and dress a chicken and have it on the table for lunch when her parents came in from the field. She was taught how to do things and to do them without being reminded they needed doing. Another of her daily responsibilities was washing the oil lamp globes every day. Lamp globes with soot on the glass don’t omit optimal light and was unacceptable. Mildred lived through the depression, the dust bowl, a world war, many other wars, and remembered a time when gas stations had attendants and postmen wore uniforms, bread was delivered to the front porch along with milk and orange juice, telephones didn’t identify who was calling and were attached to the wall by a cord.
Visitation is scheduled for noon to 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23, at Blair-Stubbs Funeral Home in Mexia. Service will be held at 1 p.m. in the Blair-Stubbs Chapel; interment will be at Cotton Gin Cemetery. Service will be officiated by Lane Grayson of Ennis.
Pallbearers have not been named as of this writing.
Mildred left a lasting impression of love and fortitude, faith and consistency on all who knew her. Our hearts are better for having known and loved her and being loved by her. Heaven’s gain is our loss.
Please visit www.blairstubbs. com to leave the family a message of condolence or sign the guestbook.
