LeWan King Harris' Obituary
Mary LeWan (King) Harris, 93, of Longview, Texas, passed peacefully on December 10, 2023. She was born in Mineola in 1929, the oldest daughter of William Roy and Iris (Adrian) King. Always known as LeWan, she was raised in Mineola during the Great Depression and moved to Longview in 1944. She graduated from Longview High School, and met William Carroll Harris, the love of her life, while at a Methodist District Youth church camp meeting. They married on February 11, 1951 and enjoyed 72 wonderful years together.
LeWan was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Iris King, her sister, Anna Rodean (King) Lipscomb, brother-in-law Richard H. (Dick) Lipscomb, sister-in-law Elaine (Woodley) Harris, granddaughter Angel Rogers, and great-granddaughter Adilade Johnston. She is survived by her husband, W. Carroll, her brother-in-law, Dana Harris, daughter Sharen Bradford and son-in-law Dave; daughter Melanie Johnston and son-in-law Kent; daughter Melinda Mayfield and son-in-law Nick; daughter Adrian Forman Kirkland and son-in-law Clay; and most-beloved “adopted” daughter Ilene Gross; grandchildren Lauren Johnston, Meredith Sharp, Amon Johnson, Daniel Rogers, Nicole Alicea, Aaron and Ian Forman, Clayton, Alex, and Abi Kirkland; great-grandchildren Taylor, Cally, and Paige Sharp; Nohl and Clara Weindorf; Alister and Archer Johhnston. LeWan’s love was boundless and sustained her family. She delighted in her grandchildren and great grandchildren, following their lives closely. She was exceedingly proud of all their accomplishments, and each one of them is convinced they were the favorite.
Visitation will be held from 2:00 to 3:30 PM on Wednesday, December 13th, in Longview at Parkview Assisted Living, 601 Hollybrook Drive. A memorial service to celebrate LeWan’s life will be held afterward at Rosewood Park Cemetery at 4:00 PM.
LeWan led a life of service, living her faith daily, and she was a devoted lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church. A member of the FUMC Henry Foster class, she also ran the children’s Sunday School program for many years. In addition, LeWan taught at FUMC’s School For Little Children and later served on its board. She was exceptional in her work with young children and believed that all children possessed the ability to excel, being one of the first people in Texas to become certified as a Montessori teacher.
LeWan loved her family deeply, but no one more than her husband. LeWan and Carroll had the romance of a lifetime and an unparalleled friendship. Though they first met as teenagers at a church camp, LeWan officially caught Carroll’s eye as a young woman at Lon Morris College. Carroll loves to note that she was voted Most Beautiful in her sorority, but he first noticed her because she was always talking. LeWan and Carroll traveled the world together, and she loved nothing more than spending time with him. Once LeWan left teaching, she and Carroll worked together for the rest of their lives, first in their sporting goods store, Harris Sporting Goods, and later at Carroll Harris Homes, where LeWan managed the office and accounting. She especially loved watching sports with Carroll and was a big baseball fan, whether following the Texas Rangers or her grandsons’ teams. After a life-threatening car accident at the age of 80, LeWan noted often that she was happy to have “just one more day” with Carroll, who always referred to her as his “girlfriend”.
As a beloved member of the Longview community, LeWan was involved with the Junior League, a founder of Asbury House, and a key organizer with Meals on Wheels. She loved bridge club and garden club and delighted in her lifelong friendships. When asked to describe their mother, LeWan’s daughters will use one word: awesome. However, they will also acknowledge upfront that there were three things she could not do: swim, sing, and spell. Her chocolate chip cookies were the stuff of legend, and her lasagna was second to none. Gardening was her passion, and it was not unusual to find her weeding a flower bed after church still dressed in her Sunday clothes. She also possessed unexpected but essential skills, like hauling a horse trailer when asked, managing family and business finances better than most accountants, and identifying all birds and flowers. She adored good manners and thank you notes, ensuring her daughters were raised right by sending them to charm school, even if it is not always apparent. She never left the house without her lipstick and jewelry, and her collection of taupe and navy blue shoes and purses boggles the mind. In her later years, she could not imagine a day without Ilene, whom she lovingly called her Helper but we all know as the fifth daughter. Though she will be missed, we are overwhelmingly thankful for the years we had with such an amazing and exceptional woman. The family would like to thank Marshall Hospice, Parkview Assisted Living, and the sitters who took care of LeWan twenty-four hours a day: Jackie Reeves, Ashley Lawson, Sharonda Washington, Jessica Hinsley, Lakita Durden, and Wanda Durden. She now rests in peace, and we remember her with joy and love.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to First United Methodist Church children’s programs, Asbury House, or the charity of your heart.
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