Lois Hiawatha Cook Harris

Dear Family and Friends,
It is with both sorrow and gratitude that I share reflections on the remarkable life of my mother, Lois Hiawatha Cook Harris.

Mom was born on January 1, 1927, in Eutaw, Alabama, to James Taylor Cook and Marie Viola Kirksey Cook, the seventh of nine children. Early in life, she embraced her faith at Cook's Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Boligee, Alabama where her great uncle, Reverend Madison Cook, was pastor.

After losing her mother, Marie, in April 1943, my mom moved to Bessemer, Alabama, to live with extended family. In high school, she took business and secretarial courses and graduated in 1945. She also found joy in singing and dreamed of playing the piano.

In 1946, seeking new opportunities, Mom moved to Detroit to join her sisters Elvira, Susie, and brother Cato in the Paradise Valley neighborhood, known as Black Bottom. There, with her siblings’ encouragement, she met and eventually married my father, Albert Harris, on December 25, 1948. I was born ten years later. Mom chose the name Patricia, a name she loved. Their marriage was a loving partnership that lasted 34 wonderful years, until my father’s passing in 1982.

Mom built a meaningful career, starting with various temporary clerical roles before securing a permanent position with the State of Michigan on August 31, 1953, as a Clerk-Typist. Her professionalism and attention to detail led to her promotion to Employment Interviewer at the Michigan Employment Security Commission. She devoted more than 40 years to mentoring job seekers, teaching the importance of interview skills, professionalism, punctuality, and dressing for success—before retiring in 2002.

In 2004, Mom moved to Inkster, Michigan, where she lived independently for more than two decades. Her faith was constant throughout her life. She joined St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in the 1950s, actively attending Sunday School and singing in choirs for more than 50 years. When attending services became difficult, she transferred her membership to Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Ypsilanti in August 2020, where I am also a member, allowing her to stay connected with her faith community.

Mom lived life fully. She found joy in gardening, spending hours nurturing her flowers and vegetables, and took pride in mowing her own lawn. She was a wonderful cook, delighting in new recipes and bringing family together for special meals. Travel was another passion—she journeyed across the United States and abroad, including trips to China, England, France, Canada, the Caribbean, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, often setting out on adventures independently.

Mom was generous, too. She supported numerous organizations,including the United Negro College Fund, National African American Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and several political causes. She was always eager to help others, both personally and through her philanthropic efforts.

On Monday, February 16, 2026, after 99 years of a well-lived life, the Lord called Mom home. She is reunited with my father Albert and her siblings Dorothy, Elvira, James Pearl, Spencer, Ulysses, Roy, Clarence,and Cato.

Mom’s earthly family includes me and my husband Alphonso, Jr., her cherished grandson Kyle (Jessica), great-grandchildren Isaac and Alice, her dear sister Susie Dennis, and a host of loving nieces,nephews, and friends. We will treasure forever her love, wisdom, and the example she set for us all.

With love and remembrance,

Patricia