Martha Frances (Curtis) Harris

Our beloved mother, grandmother and friend, Martha Frances Harris, daughter of the late Harvey Hoyle and Mary Floyd (Saunders) Curtis, was born on May 2, 1946 in Plainview, Texas. Martha was called home to Heaven after a long illness on March 3, 2014 at her home in Norwood, Missouri with her family around her.
Martha’s family moved from Petersburg, Texas to Norwood, Missouri when she was 5 years old, coming to the area to raise beef cattle. She attended school in Norwood and graduated from Norwood High School in 1964, where she enjoyed cheerleading, playing softball and volleyball.
Martha was united in marriage to James Harris in 1963 at the Mountain Grove Church of Christ. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their family and friends last summer. Two sons were born of this union, Jerry and William. They lived in several locations around the Norwood and Mountain Grove areas before moving to Meridian, Idaho for a year in 1967. Moving back to Norwood in 1968, the family finally moved to their current farmstead in 1972 where they built their current home with the help of Martha’s father and family.
Martha worked in the home raising the two boys and helped manage the beef cattle until 1978 when they changed over to a dairy farm. She also became a displayer for Home Interiors (later called Celebrating Home). She concentrated on the dairy farm for a couple of years before taking on more of a full-time roll with Home Interiors. Martha was a people person, and she loved helping people decorate their homes, meeting new friends, as well as going on company seminars around the country.
Martha had a passion for playing softball and managed fast pitch softball leagues in Norwood for several years. She was a force to be reckoned with on the softball field. When Martha came to the plate, everyone in the outfield took a few steps back.
As her sons grew older, she eagerly adopted their friends as her own. She loved having them around her home where she made sure no one ever left hungry. She always enjoyed hosting family gatherings and later in her life going on the annual family group vacations.
Martha was baptized in the Church of Christ and was an active member for many years along with her mother and her sisters. She was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Neighborly Ladies Club of Norwood.
Besides her parents, Martha is preceded in death by her oldest sister: Mary Thelma Locke.
She is survived by her husband: James William Harris, of the home; two sons: Jerry Harris and his wife, Aleta, of Chesterfield, Missouri, and William Harris and his wife, Debby, of Republic, Missouri; a sister: Carol Ann Hull and her husband, Lyle, of Norwood, Missouri; a brother: Edward Allen Curtis, of Barstow, Texas. Martha was a loving Matriarch of her family. She enjoyed spending time with her 13 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, neighbors and friends who will dearly miss her.

Visitation:
Thursday, March 6, 2014 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home. Order of Eastern Star service at 6:00 PM.

Memorial Contributions:
St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in c/o the funeral home.