Martha Mildred Hendrix Harris

Martha Mildred Hendrix Harris, RN, was born on October 11, 1922 in Ball Ground, GA, youngest of nine children, and passed on to life eternal in Los Angeles, CA on November 7, 2016, at 94 years of age. She is survived by her two children, son J. Edward Harris with his wife Marty Willis Harris, and daughter Marsha Harris with her husband Robert McDuff, as well as five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Mildred’s husband Edward A. Harris preceded her into life eternal in 1990, and she is the last of her siblings to leave us. Her parents were John Washington Hendrix and Margaret Louisa Williams Hendrix. She will be buried at Kennesaw Memorial Park in Marietta, GA. After her family relocated from GA to AL when she was in high school, Mildred graduated from Weogufka High near Sylacauga, AL, and went on to become a Registered Nurse through Drummand-Frazier Nursing School & Hospital in Sylacauga, AL. She entered the US Navy Nursing Corps, served in WWII, and was honorably discharged as a Lieutenant Junior Grade in 1950. Once back in Marietta in late 1945, she met her husband Ed, an army veteran of WWII, in Marietta, GA in 1946, and they were married July 31,1947 at the Mayes Ward Chapel in Marietta, GA. Over the years they lived on Jackson Circle, then on Lovejoy Street in Marietta until they moved to CA in September, 1972. They were members at First Baptist Church of Marietta during these years. Mildred was always called to nursing, and so worked most of her adult life in the field to which God sent her. She worked in industrial medicine at Lockheed-Marietta in the late 1940’s, then in an obstetrics practice, a general practice and in skilled nursing (Hillhaven, Marietta) for geriatrics. In 1972, when she moved with her husband and daughter to CA, she re-entered medical-surgical nursing and nursing management at Glendale Memorial Hospital and worked until her retirement in 1988. She maintained her nursing credentials past her 80th birthday, as she always wanted to be able to help others, if needed. She was always active in church and community life, and delighted in time spent with her grandchildren, both in GA and in CA. She enjoyed traveling, including many parts of the United States, and her favorite trips were to Italy, and to Thailand and Hong Kong. Upon moving to Glendale, CA in 1972, Mildred and husband Ed joined First Baptist of Glendale, where Ed had been baptized during the 1940’s. They later moved their membership to First Baptist, North Hollywood, where Mildred served as Moderator for a few years. She was also an active member of the Gideon’s International Auxillary for many years. In 2002 Mildred followed her daughter Marsha, son-in-law Robert McDuff and three youngest grandchildren to live in the San Francisco Bay Area, to be closer to family and to have help as she developed health issues. She was an active member at Shell Ridge Community Church in Walnut Creek, CA. When daughter Marsha and her husband Bob relocated to Los Angeles in 2015, Mildred also moved. Mildred attended the college graduations of her first two grandchildren from Auburn University in Alabama, and attended the weddings of both – Brad Harris to Lindsay Spackey in Chicago, and Matt Harris to Erin Fawbush in Austell, GA. She was in a wheelchair for the wedding in Riverside, CA of her third grandson, Douglas MacDuff to Bethany Richie (whose college graduation she missed due to health and heat issues), but insisted on standing as best she could at Doug’s wedding so she could dance with him. Two of her grandchildren were inspired by her to pursue careers in medical fields, and it pleased Mildred to attend the UC San Francisco Physical Therapists White Coat Ceremony for Glendon MacDuff in September, 2014 (to graduate in 2017), and to attend the Azusa Pacific University Nurse’s Pinning ceremony in 2016 of her only granddaughter, Selena MacDuff. Mildred’s Nursing pin and first name tag were gifts to Selena for graduation. Some of her healthcare momentos await the next graduation in 2017. The family wishes to acknowledge and thank the staffs of Kensington Senior Living, Walnut Creek, CA (2002-2007), Sunrise Assisted Living, Walnut Creek, CA (2007-2014), Gracehealth Skilled Nursing and Convalescent, Pleasant Hill, CA (2014-2015), and Country Villa North Skilled Nursing, Los Angeles, CA (2015-2016) for their care and engagement of Mildred in her later years. The day before she passed, Mildred completed and mailed her absentee ballot, and attended worship at her facility. The day she passed, her morning included hot cocoa and Zumba dancing in her chair. She truly danced her way into heaven! The Celebration of the Life and Service of Mildred Harris will be held at Mayes Ward Dobbins Funeral Home, 180 Church St, Marietta, GA 30060, on Saturday, November 26, 2016 at 1 p.m. A viewing will be held immediately before, from 11 am – 1 p.m. A brief graveside prayer and reading will be held at Kennesaw Memorial Park, 1306 Whitlock Ave NW, Marietta, GA 30064. Following the graveside time will be a reception with no-host meal at Gabriel’s Restaurant and Bakery, 800 Whitlock Ave NW #135, Marietta, GA 30064. All attending are asked to WEAR RED, Mildred’s favorite color. Donations in her honor can be made through Gideon’s International (www.gideons.org/donate) to place bibles, or for bibles through your home church. Alternately, donations can be made to help find a cure for the disease that curtailed her travels and activities, through the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research (www.michalejfox.org). Please send gift acknowledgments to Marsha Harris, 1415 S. Manhattan Place, Los Angeles, CA 90019.

Martha Mildred Hendrix Harris

October 11, 1922 - November 7, 2016