Dianne Harris

1944 - 2020

Dianne Grant Harris, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend passed away at home on February 1, 2020. Dianne was born in Thomaston, Georgia, on January 24, 1944. The family moved from Thomaston when she was young, and she attended several secondary schoolsin Georgia and Tennessee. She graduated from Southwest High School in Atlanta and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Mathematics at Mercer University in Macon in only three years. She was hired by the Scientific Programming Division of Lockheed corporation as a computer programmer on the C-5A production program. She married her husband Ron, a student at Georgia Tech, at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in downtown Atlanta shortly after her graduation. When he graduated and entered the United States Air Force, she left Lockheed to go with him. During their 27-year Air Force career, Dianne proved to be adept at packing, moving, unpacking, enrolling her sons in new schools, and establishing a family home in each new location that included Texas, New Mexico, Florida, California, Ohio, Nevada, California again, Illinois, the Republic of South Korea, Alabama, Washington, D.C., and finally back to Georgia at Robins Air Force Base. During the family's two-year accompanied tour in the Republic of South Korea, Dianne earned a Master of Science in Systems Management degree from the University of Southern California and served as president of the Osan Air Base Officers Wives Club. Dianne was also successful in finding computer science jobs at the new locations, giving her opportunities to broaden her professional knowledge and skills. She set a good example for her sons who both obtained computer science degrees and currently work in the same field as their mother.
After retiring from the Air Force, Dianne and Ron moved to Suwanee, Georgia, and she continued working in her career, her last position being Project Manager for Computer Sciences Corporation. After moving to the Village at Deaton Creek near Hoschton, Dianne joined her husband as a ham radio operator, earning an Amateur Extra class license, call sign AF4DH. She served as President of the Tri-County Amateur Radio Club and participated in many emergency communications exercises as a member of the Hall County Amateur Radio Emergency Service. She enjoyed beading and playing cards and mahjong with her friends at Deaton Creek. She loved to watch football games and was a devoted fan of the USC Trojans, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and the Atlanta Falcons. She traveled extensively within the United States including Alaska and Hawaii and in Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Dianne had a keen interest in genealogy and was a member of the Jacob Braselton Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a member of the Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church.
Dianne was intelligent, loving and kind, and devoted to her family and friends, all of whom miss her greatly. Her grandchildren especially miss their cherished Nana and will keep her memory in their hearts. She was preceded in death by her son, Jonathan William Harris, and by her parents, William Bayard Grant and Martha Turner Grant. She was a dedicated caregiver for both of her parents. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, William Ronald Harris; son Dustin Michael Harris (Amy Jennifer Harris), grandson Asher Skye Harris and granddaughter Eva Mae Harris of Portland OR; and son Colin Brent Harris (Melissa Denise Jenkins) of Atlanta.
Donations may be made to the Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church Building Fund, 1450 Pine Road, Dacula GA 30019. Services will be held on Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home Braselton Chapel in Braselton, Georgia with internment at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia on Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Memorial Park Funeral Home Braselton Chapel, 5257 Green Street Hwy 53, Braselton, Georgia 30517 is in charge of arrangements. Send online condolences to http://www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com/funeral-homes/memorial-park-east/