Ramona (Liles) Harris

Ramona “Mona” Liles Harris, 91, left this life peacefully on Friday afternoon August 21, 2020. She was born August 24, 1928 in Franklin County to the late K. L. Liles and Valerie Davis Liles. She graduated from Louisburg High School and worked with Longview Methodist Day School for 26 years. Louisburg was a dear place to her - tales of long afternoons at the movie house, roller skating on Kenmore Avenue, playing basketball against Bunn, living on North Main Street were standards for the family. 

Mona loved all children.  Especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren - always making them feel truly special. She loved talking to them, playing games with them, reading, painting and she spent many hours with her grandkids and neighborhood kids. She also loved animals, especially dogs, always remembering the family Basset “Abby” in many conversations.

Mona loved and enjoyed the simple things in life: crossword puzzles, fresh peaches, peach ice cream, watermelons, the beach, dancing in the kitchen (she loved Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers), swimming (thinking she was Esther Williams while in the pool or the Atlantic).  She loved playing card games - Setback and Rook, watching golf and tennis and a good laugh. “Fun loving” barely describes her personality. Mona expressed her creativity through painting in oils, putting together costumes, helping with school projects.

She was a devoted Christian lady and always said, “the Good Lord looks after me.”  She was baptized at Louisburg Baptist Church in 1940 and was a faithful member of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Knightdale since 1960.  She loved her church family and her memories of so many friends through the years always shone through in any discussion with her.  

Mona wove a humble tapestry of love, fun, smiles, caring and generosity throughout her life. She also shared these threads to the looms of so many of us who loved and knew her.  In her humility she reflected the quote by C.S. Lewis, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.”  

She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Harris of Clayton; sons: Jeff Harris (Belynda) of Clayton, Gary Harris (Angela) of Raleigh; daughter-in-law, Janice Brown Harris of Headland, AL; grandchildren: Jason Harris (Christa) of Headland, AL, Evan Harris (Mackenzie) of Ashville, Cameron Harris of Raleigh, Katie Harris (Kyle Adams) of Clayton, Logan Harris of Raleigh, Duncan Harris of Raleigh and Kendall Harris of Raleigh; great-grandchildren: Amanda Reed (Will) of Headland, AL, Leigh Anna Money of Headland, AL, Avery Harris of Headland, AL, Harrison Adams of Clayton and great-great-grandchildren: Jack and Billy Reed of Headland, AL.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Warren Harris; her son, Gregory Warren Harris; sisters: Flavil Cash Strother, Christine Ogle, Glennie Craft and brother, Valon Liles.      

The family will receive relatives and friends at Mona’s home from 2:00 to 6:00 pm on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am, Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at Oakwood Cemetery, Hwy. 39/401, Louisburg with Dr. Michael Ramsey officiating.  

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Bethlehem Baptist Church, 8400 Poole Road, Knightdale, NC 27545 or the Salvation Army, 1863 Capital Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27604.                               

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