Earlene Harris, 84, of Beloit, Wisconsin, departed this earthly life on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at Beloit Memorial Hospital. The former Earlene Jones was born on August 3, 1937, in Boydell, Arkansas, the daughter of Nathaniel Jones and Martha Alexander. She accepted Christ at an early age and worshiped at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, in Dermott, Arkansas. Earlene married Bonnie Dell Harris on May 25, 1960, in Dermott, Arkansas. While residing there she was a hardworking employee at Wells Lamont Glove Factory, for 30 years.
Earlene enjoyed bingo, checkers, singing songs, and riddles with her children. She taught them to write with both the right and left hand. Her biggest focus was making sure they could write in cursive, and it had to be legible. Earlene orchestrated her own spelling bees with her children along with making sure they knew and could recite the Lord's Prayer.
In 1990, Earlene made Beloit, Wisconsin her permanent residency to be closer to her adult children. Earlene was good for remembering birthdays and anniversaries, and you could be sure to receive a card that enclosed would be five dollars for the kids and twenty dollars for the adults. Earlene had a comment that always made us smile. When you would say that she was sleeping, she would open her eyes and say, "I wasn't sleeping, I was resting my eyes." Earlene would then proceed to tell all of the conversation she heard while she was "resting her eyes." Earlene loved cooking. Some favorites by others were her dumplings, dressing, and the best fried chicken and pork chops you could ever wrap your lips around. Her dressing was a favorite for many and was requested each year by the Rock County Job Center in Janesville for their potlucks. Foremost Earlene loved God and His Word. She read her Bible consistently with her favorite scripture being the 23rd Psalm. Our beloved was a faithful woman of God and a dedicated member of Kingdom Faith Center in Beloit.
Earlene leaves her loving family to carry on her legacy: children; 44 grandchildren; 58 great-grandchildren; 7 great great-grandchildren; along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bonnie D. Harris, Sr; dad, Nathaniel Jones; mom, Martha Alexander Jackson; stepmom, Doris Jones; siblings, Almeda Maxwell, Thelma Davis, Bredean Dotson, and Sam Nelson; grandson, Kita Wilson; and a great-granddaughter, Serenity Harris.
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Funeral services are 11:00 a.m., Friday, March 18, 2022, at New Life Ministries, 1400 Harvey Street, Beloit, Wisconsin 53511. Viewing and visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Committal at Eastlawn Cemetery in Beloit, Wisconsin will follow the service. Hansen-Gravitt Funeral Home, 424 Prospect Street, Beloit, Wisconsin 53511 is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements.