Christine Harris

Christine H. Harris HANFORD, Calif. - The family of Christine Margaret Hopkins Harris, 90, of Hanford, Calif., is saddened to announce her death Jan. 6, 2009, after a long illness with dementia. Born in Stotesbury, W.Va., in 1918, she was the oldest of 12 children born to the late Samuel Green Hopkins and Bessie Alma Rorrer Hopkins. Christine's family moved to Stuart, Va., when she was less than 1 year old and then moved to Draper, N.C., when she was 12. Christine grew up in Draper where she graduated from Leaksville High School and then worked in the Marshall Fields Textile Mill. Christine was very involved with her church growing up and after her marriage to Clarence Harris of Draper began to live in various areas of the United States and the Panama Canal Zone with her military husband and children. Christine went to work for Sears and Roebuck in June 1958 in Norfolk, and continued working for Sears in Hanford, when her husband was transferred to NAS Lemoore, Calif., in 1963 with the Navy. Christine was an active member of the First Southern Baptist Church of Hanford and grew award-winning roses as a member of the Garden Club there. She and her husband worked with Shaklee Products after their retirement and travelled across the country visiting family and friends. They bought her family's home place in Eden, N.C., and spent time each year in both places. While in Eden, she was active with the church family at the First Baptist Church of Draper. Christine is survived by her daughters, Carolyn Cox (Travis) of Walnut Grove, Ala., Loretta McCarty (Joe) of Virginia Beach, Margaret Cartwright (Mark) of Visalia, Calif.; son, C. Hal Harris Jr. (Sara Hedgpeth-Harris) of Fresno, Calif.; and seven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Christine is also survived by brothers, Gordon Hopkins of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Lawrence Hopkins of Eden; and sisters, Pauline Burch of Aiken, S.C., Virginia Ashworth of Eden, Vivian Quesinberry of Reidsville and Jance Rash of Hudson, Fla. Christine was preceded in death by her husband, Cmdr. Clarence H. Harris, formerly of Hanford; sister, Vera Hopkins, formerly of Draper; and brothers, Ernest Hopkins formerly of Eden, Ralph Hopkins formerly of Leaksville, Leonard Hopkins formerly of Ridgeway, Va., and Dewey Hopkins formerly of Eden. A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in First Baptist Church of Draper, with Pastor Clyde Gwin officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the church. Christine will be laid to rest next to her husband at Danview Cemetery. Online condolences may be offered to the Harris family at www.fairfuneralhome.com.