Obituary of Norma Jean Harris

Norma Jean (Gage) Harris passed away on Saturday April 1, 2023. She was born on May 22, 1927 in Lamar, MO to Frank and Effie May (Brummett) Gage. She graduated from high school in Lamar, MO in 1945 and went to one semester of college at Texas Women’s Teachers College in Denton, TX. She married Robert Welsh Harris in March of 1947, at the Lamar Christian Church, where she proudly stated she had been a church member there for the longest period of time. Together they farmed in the Kenoma area until they retired to Lamar, MO in 1979. Robert and Norma enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Norma was a homemaker, active community member and supportive farmer’s wife with all the jobs that entails. She was a long time, avid bridge player and she also enjoyed reading and writing. She entered and won a Reader’s Digest Writing Contest and was awarded a small electric light blue Thunderbird car that Gayle, Clark, and Kent would drive to the school in Kenoma. She was an active member of the First Christian Church of Lamar, MO and made church attendance each week a priority for her family. Not only was church attendance important to Norma and Robert but so was education. They were great supporters of higher education in the community and beyond. It is a credit to Norma and her leadership that all of her children and grandchildren went to college. Norma is survived by her children Clark W. Harris and wife Donna of Springfield, MO, Kent M. Harris and wife Debbie of Lamar, MO, Peggy C. Quinn and husband Kevin of Columbia, MO; and grandchildren Zachary Harris and wife Lindsay of Lamar, MO, Benjamin Harris and wife Alisha of McKinney, TX, Isaac Harris and wife Lauren of Centerton, AR, Allison Harris of Bloomington, IL, Emily Viers of Portland, OR, and Jacob Viers of Savannah, GA. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren Noah Harris, Ella Harris, Jude Harris, Aidan Harris, Ethan Harris, Chance Harris, Gaige Harris, Gabriel Harris, and Grayson Harris; brother Robert Gage of Arlington, TX; sister Margaret Wattenbarger of Lamar, MO; and sister-in-law Joyce Gage of Lamar, MO. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, son Gayle Robert Harris, and brother William Gage. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to the Barton County Senior Center in care of the funeral home. The family will receive visitors on Monday April 3, 2023 from 1 PM to 2 PM with a funeral service following at 2 PM at Konantz Warden Funeral Home. The funeral home will be open from 1 PM to 5 PM on Sunday April 2, 2023 for anyone who would like to sign the book.