Dorothy "Dot" Harris

A funeral service for Dorothy Harris, 96, of Cleburne, will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, December 5, 2025, in the Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Funeral Home Chapel, located 512 N. Ridgeway Drive, Cleburne, TX 76033, with Pastor Nick Rakos officiating. Interment will follow in Greenacres Memorial Park, Cleburne with Earl Harris Jr., Glenn Anderson, Milton Petty, Matthew Newkirk, Peyton Petty, Blayke Anderson serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are Jimmy Hatcher and Cliff Scallan. There will be a time of visitation from 1:00-2:00 PM prior to service.

Born Dorothy Powell in Woodworth, Louisiana on June 27, 1929, she had no middle name. She was jokingly called 'Dorothy Modeen' by her youngest sister, but she was mostly known by Mama, Mamaw, Meme, Aunt Dot, or simply Dot.

Her parents were Lucille & Jessie St. Patrick Powell. She was one of four girls who grew up on a farm as sharecroppers, during the Great Depression. Her dad planted cotton and corn for crops to be sold to pay for a place to live. She spoke often about how hard it was to pick cotton.

In 1945, Dorothy married William Earl Harris. She was sixteen, he was twenty-one!! They moved off to Alexandria, Louisiana as just the beginning of their countless adventures together.

By 1967, Dorothy became a preacher's wife when WE Harris left the insurance industry and entered into the calling to preach. They planted many churches together and faithfully led congregations. She was a beacon of hospitality. Her heart and home were continuously teeming with others.

Dorothy faithfully lived out the verses found in Ephesians 2; knowing there is no action or works we can do to gain salvation, but that it was a free gift of gratitude from God. She constantly proclaimed this with family, friends and anyone who would listen (including Mormon missionaries and Rainbow vacuum salesmen). She always sought out how to help others with kindness, love, and gentleness to serve Christ and build up the church.

From a pot of red beans and rice to shrimp gumbo to collard greens and corn bread to bread pudding...she was an incredible cook and loved sharing what she prepared. Be it church members, close friends, neighbors, or family; everyone was well fed and abundantly adored. Her love for Christ poured out over countless meals and visits.

She was asked about her favorite Bible verse, she replied "John 3:16! That pretty much sums it all up!!" As we grieve our loss of her, we celebrate even more that her body is redeemed and renewed and glorifying God.

She was preceded in death by her parents, 'Granny and Pa Powell,' all of her sisters; Agnus, Gracie, and Wees, her beloved husband of seventy-two years, William Earl Harris, and many dear friends and family.

After 96 years, Dorothy is survived by son Earl (Carol) Harris, daughter Sheila Collier. Grandchildren Dana (Linda) Harris, Jana (Cliff) Scallan, Andrea (Milton) Petty, Amy (Glenn) Anderson, and April (Jimmy) Hatcher, fourteen great grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, great-great and great great-great nieces and nephews.