Simsbury Obituary: Mabel Harris, 89

Mabel C. Harris, 89, passed away on Thursday, November 23, 2017, peacefully in her home in Simsbury, surrounded by her family.

Born on December 19, 1927 in East Dorset, Vermont, she was the eldest of five children to Homer and Eunice (Steere) Coan. Mabel grew up in Suffield, later moving to New Hartford in 1942 with her family. She graduated from Gilbert High School in 1946 and went on to attend business school.

Mabel met her husband, Robert James Harris in 1947. They were married on June 18, 1949 and moved to Simsbury, after the flood of 1955 to start a family. Mabel worked at Pratt and Whitney from 1949-1955. The next twelve years, she was mom to her three children.

In 1967, Mabel began her career with the United States Post Office where she started as a mail sorter in Hartford. Mabel worked the late shift so she could be home for her family. She retired from the Post Office, Office of Mail Classification, in 1992. Mabel came out of retirement in November, 2000 and worked at Walmart in Avon alongside her husband, Robert, for several years satisfying her love to meet and visit with people.

Mabel enjoyed a full and rewarding life. She traveled the United States with her best friends from the Post Office. She enjoyed visiting family and friends in Florida. She was an avid bowler and enjoyed weekly ceramics class, leaving us with many beautifully hand pained treasures.

The family enjoyed many camping trips with extended family and when the kids left home, her and Robert traveled with the Coachman's Club in their motor home. After her husband's passing, she kept herself busy learning the computer, especially social media, to stay in touch with family and friends.

She was predeceased by her husband, Robert, of 60 years in 2009 and her siblings, Homer, Allen, and Fannie Mae Delaney. She leaves behind her youngest brother Gilbert, her three children, David, Brian and his wife Jackie, Melanie and her husband Matthew Catania, Sr., six grandchildren, Rebecca and her husband Tyler Browning, Briana Harris, Matthew, Alyssa, Nicholas, Gabriella Catania, and a great granddaughter, Sadie Browning. She also leaves behind many friends and relatives too numerous to mention.

Her family will receive friends Tuesday, November 28, 2017 from 5-8 PM at the Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center, 301 Country Club Road, Avon. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 at 11am at Carmon's in Avon. The Rev. Matt Laney will officiate. Burial is in Simsbury Cemetery.

Contributions may be made to either the Simsbury Volunteer Ambulance or the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Department.