Sammie Ruth Harris was born at home July 6, 1927, and died peacefully in her home with her daughter by her side on April 9, 2024. She was 3 years old when her mother died leaving her and her sister to be raised by their father Fred Phillips on their farm in Parker County, Texas. She graduated from Brock High School in 1946 and attended Weatherford College in Weatherford, Texas. She married James L. Harris on Sept 5, 1948. From their first date, he never went a day without speaking to her or seeing her. He died in 2013 after 65 years together. They were partners in every aspect of life - true soul mates. She was so proud of him and loved him with every part of her being. She called him “My Gem.” When they moved to Washington, D.C. for Jim’s work, she worked for the Navy Dept. Their lives were blessed by the birth of Lauranne in 1961. Sammie was the best mother - always supportive of Lauranne’s endeavors and provided a home anchor as Jim’s job required travel often. The family moved to OKC in 1968. She returned to work at FAA when Lauranne was in high school and enjoyed working in the computer- based instruction unit. She had the knack for creating a welcoming atmosphere for her coworkers and the students who often dropped by the office when they were in OKC to thank her for her caring efforts. Both her organizational abilities and loving nature were recognized when she was selected 1993 employee of the year for the entire FAA Aeronautical Center. When Jim retired from FAA in 1991, he became executive VP for Civil Aviation Medical Association and for the next 17 years, she helped him support this organization sharing her friendliness and loving kindness with the physician members and their families thus making her many good friends along the way. When they retired from that position, CAMA created the Jim and Sammie Harris award in their honor. When she retired from FAA, she went to work as receptionist in her daughter’s OBGYN practice. She was the glue that held the office together and Lauranne’s patients appreciated her caring touch. She retired in 2013 but continued to work behind the scenes to support her daughter’s work. Even now Lauranne’s patients often speak of how much they value Sammie and how she enhanced their health care. She radiated love and had a real gift for showing people how much she loved them -a shining example of how to share God’s love wherever she was and whatever she was doing. Friends were very important to her -she had many good ones and enjoyed maintaining those connections. Her faith in God was always evident- a lifelong Methodist, she was member at St. Luke’s for more than 50 years. There she and Jim helped start the Insight class which she continued to attend even by zoom during the pandemic. She was a supporter of Lauranne’s work with St. Luke’s ministry in Ulyanovsk, Russia and visited there in 2011. When she began to experience the effects of heart failure 2 years ago, she continued to do what she could every day to live every moment in a spirit of gratitude. She had a list of people she prayed for every day. She enjoyed word puzzles, kept up with the news daily and was an avid Thunder fan. She leaves a Sammie sized hole in our lives that no one can fill but we know we will be reunited in heaven and will always feel her love. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jim, sister Virginia and brother-in-law Bill Carter. She is survived by her daughter Lauranne Harris, M.D. and nephews Freddie (Patricia), Joe Bill (Sharon) and Brad (Vicky) Carter and niece Darla (Ricky) Berry and the Galant family – Vera, Sergey and Tim (who she loved as a grandmother) and many dear friends. She designated memorials to Circle of Care, Skyline Urban Ministry or St. Luke’s Russia Ministry.
