Julia Kay Harris

Julia Kay Harris, 69-year- old resident of Charlotte, passed away peacefully at 4:15 a.m. on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte. She had been seriously ill since suffering a stroke on January 2nd.

Kay was born on Tuesday, July 24, 1956 at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte (Mecklenburg County), NC, daughter of the late Hoyt Cleon Harris and Peggy Jean Pope Harris.

She was educated in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, including Derita Elementary School, Ranson and J. T. Williams Junior High Schools and North Mecklenburg High School from which she graduated with the Class of 1974. Kay furthered her education at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, earning in 1978, her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with a Minor in English.

In the autumn of 1978 Kay began a long career in the banking industry in Charlotte, fi rst working at North Carolina National Bank, later known as Nations Bank. While working with this fi rm, she lived in London, England for six months. She then was employed with IBM Barclays American and in 1993 became employed with First Union. During her career she saw and was involved in many changes in her chosen fi eld of employment. In 2001 First Union completed a merger deal with Wachovia National Bank, which then became known as Wachovia Corporation. In 2010 that company merged with Wells Fargo. She remained with Wells Fargo until March 2016, when became employed with Syscom Inc. working there fi ve years and six months until retiring in May 2022.

Kay had many interests and hobbies. She had been a longtime member of a Knitting Club which met weekly on Thursday nights and for 26 years has been a member of a ladies Book Club, originally called The Absoloodles, made up of mostly current and former UHBC members. She had a life-long love of softball and played on Women's teams and church teams over the years. She enjoyed traveling and was able to visit many states including Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Tennessee (that was just on one trip!) and of course many others up and down the east coast.

She attended the 1976 Montreal Olympics and the 1996

Atlanta Olympics (the one where the bombing tragedy occurred) and the Special Olympics in Chattanooga, TN. Other countries she visited, in addition to England, included Greece, Italy, France and Scotland. In the late 1970's, Kay just picked up a Banjo and "taught herself" to play it. She was taught by local artist Carlton Moody and they, along with her brother Grant and life-long friend Jean Porter, formed their group and went to Brazil with The Friendship Force to perform. One might ask "what didn't she do?".

Kay was reared in Whiting Avenue Baptist Church in north Charlotte, where she made her profession of faith and was baptized into church membership at about age nine. She was active in the children's, youth and adult choirs, sang in a family quintet and later quartet at church, was active in GA's and all other children's and youth activities.

Kay, along with her parents and two brothers, became active members of University Hills Baptist Church on May 15, 1994. Since that time, she has faithfully served in the Pre-School Department of the Sunday School, working with toddlers and also serving on a regular basis and as needed in the church nursery during worship services. Additionally she also served in the annual summer Vacation Bible Schools. She truly lived a life of service to her Lord.

Preceding Kay in death were twin infant sisters whom she never got to know: Amy Louise and Frances Ellen who both died on April 1, 1953 just two days after their premature births. Also preceding in death was her beloved father, Cleon, who passed away on December 26, 2018 at age 93 and her loving mother, Peggy, who passed away July 16, 2021 just two days before her 97th birthday.

Kay is survived by her two devoted brothers, Grant Franklin Harris and Eric Foster Harris, both of Charlotte; numerous cousins and friends and a church family that loved her dearly.

The Harris Family will greet friends during a visitation held in the University Hills Gathering Area from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 14th.

A service to remember and celebrate Kay's life will follow at 1 p.m. in the church sanctuary officiated by church pastor, Reverend Chad Eric Gullion and Dr. Michael Gene Toney, Pastor for Worship at University Hills. Interment will follow at Sharon Memorial Park Cemetery in Charlotte