Martha Jane Harris

Martha Jane Sherrill Harris, lovingly known as "Red" to her husband, son and grandson, of the Asheville area, died at the age of 89 at Mars Hill Manor in Mars Hill, North Carolina.

She was born on March 2, 1936 to Wade Alexander Sherrill and Myrtle Jane Brawley Sherrill in Mooresville, NC.

Martha graduated from Mooresville High School in 1954 then completed the nursing program at Charlotte Memorial Hospital in 1957. From there, she applied her nursing skills in a variety of environments including public health, hospitals, private duty and manufacturing plants. She was proud to have been a Certified Occupational Health Nurse (COHN).

After nursing school, she married Robert "Jack" Harris on November 30, 1957. They had 2 children, David Wade Harris and Tracy Jane Harris (Lewis).

Martha enjoyed playing tennis at Huntingtowne Farms Swim and Racket club in Charlotte for a number of years. She also took pride in her yard work and logged hundreds of miles walking the neighborhood. She was also involved in Stephen Ministries at Sharon United Methodist Church.

She is survived by Jack, David (Judith Harris), all of Weaverville, NC, and her grandson, Jackson Wade Harris of Asheville, NC, and Tracy (Stephen Lewis) of Smithfield, Virginia, her brother in law William "Bill" Eller of Greensboro, NC, her sister in law, Brenda Harris Knott (Robert "Bob") and many supporting nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters, Betty Jean S. McConnel Hart and Celia Dare S. Eller, and her nephew, Keith Whitney Eller.

Funeral services will be scheduled at a future time at Vandenburg Methodist Church in Mooresville, NC.

Special appreciation to the caregivers at Compassionate Care Western North Carolina and Mars Hill Manor Assisted Living facility as well as the staff at The SECU Center for Memory Care.