MARY ELEANORE SHANLEY HARRISS

1927 - 2015

MARY ELEANORE SHANLEY HARRISS Answering the call of her Lord, Mary Eleanore Shanley Harriss left this world on March 19, 2015, at her home in McAllen surrounded by her attentive family. She was 88 years old. Due to her being tall like the Eiffel Tower, Eleanore was nicknamed "Effie" by her friends at school. She was born in New York City, New York on January 15, 1927 to Mollie Kelly Shanley and William Carleton Shanley Jr. She grew up in Roslyn, New York and spent her summers in Blooming Grove, Pennsylvania. She attended Sacred Heart Convent, "Eden Hall" in Torresdale, Pennsylvania and Toby Colburn School of Fashion Merchandising in New York City. She spent time working in Chicago at the Merchandise Mart. She also worked with special needs children and Jenny Craig before marrying Robert Mallory Harriss, a brother of one of her friends she met at a party in New York. After marrying Robert, Effie's life took an interesting change in direction. She moved to the interior of Mexico to live on a ranch with her husband. Effie took to ranching and excelled at it, learning Spanish and caring for her two sons and her husband. Widowed early, Effie continued on in Mexico alone. Effie kept the ranch going, knowing that someday her sons would grow up and want to continue ranching. Effie loved good food and socializing. She was a great cook and was rarely seen without her trademark apron. She was known for keeping her closest friends and family members up all night talking. She was an avid fisherman and hunter. She was an amazing woman. No matter what hardships came her way including the deaths of her husband and both her sons, she maintained her faith in God. She was proceeded in death by her parents, William Carleton Shanley Jr. and Mollie Kelly Shanley; her husband, Robert Mallory Harriss Jr.; her beloved sons, Robert Mallory Harriss III and Richard Carleton Harriss. She is survived by her older brother William Carleton Shanley III of Rowayton, Connecticut and his 6 children and 15 grandchildren; her younger brother Richard L. Shanley of Boynton Beach, Florida; her grandsons, Peter Christopher Harriss and Robert Mallory Harriss IV, and a great-granddaughter Ashlyn Marie Harriss as well as many close friends, including Stephen Bradley Jennings, who love and miss her. Memorial Service will be held at Kreidler Funeral Home on Wednesday, March 25th 2015 at 1:00 PM. Please join us at Effie's home following the service for refreshments. Kreidlerfuneralhome.com Sign the guest book at www.themonitor.com/obituaries