Sylvia Gayle Harris, 87, passed away Oct. 11, 2026 surrounded by loved ones.
The family will receive friends at 10:30 a.m. until the Celebration Service of her life at Henderson Church of Christ at 1 p.m. on Oct. 16. Billy Smith will officiate, and Andrew Hill, Dr. Drew S. Blackstock, Dr. Dennis Johnson will be speaking. Memories and prayers will be shared by Dr. Roy Sharp, Dr. Sondra Wilcox and Jerry Hesselrode.
The family requests memorials be made to the Glenn H. and Sylvia Harris Scholarship Fund at Freed-Hardeman University. Graveside committal for family and friends will be at Henderson City Cemetery immediately following the funeral.
Pallbearers will be Dr. Drew S. Blackstock, Andrew Hill, Shepard Hill, Tyler Tursky, Carson Naylor and Casey Wyatt. Honorary Pallbearers will be Mark Harris, Dr. Dennis Johnson, Jon Hardin, Jerry Hesselrode, Dr. Roy Sharp and Dee Richardson. Shackelford-Casey Chapel will be in charge of services.
She was born in Luray on Nov. 5, 1938, the daughter of the late John Willis and Ola Mae Russell Johnson. She was the granddaughter of William Washington and Mary Elizabeth Caviness Russell and Porter Washington and Elizabeth Penelopia Taylor Johnson (Henderson County). She graduated from Chester County High School in 1956, Freed-Hardeman Junior College in 1958, Harding University in 1960 with a BA degree and George Peabody College for Teachers in 1963 with a MA Degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation. She married Glenn Howard Harris June 24, 1967, at Henderson Church of Christ. They made their home in Henderson where she taught for Freed-Hardeman College, and he was a Road Design Engineer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation/Jackson Office/West Tennessee Division.
Her life has been one of service to church, family, school and community. She served as Director of Minnie Wagner City Park in Memphis the summer of 1960 and taught History, Health, Physical Education and coached Junior High Girls Basketball Team at Northside High School 1960-61 in Jackson. Then, she began a 44 year teaching career at Freed-Hardeman, helping the school go from Junior College to University status. While there, she started and coached the Women’s Volleyball Team from 1976-79, sponsored Cheerleaders from 1961-1988, organized and directed the first Cheerleader Clinics for area High School Squads from 1979-1988, started and directed the first Community Swim Program at FHU from 1976-99 (teaching hundreds of children and adults to swim from Chester, Madison, Henderson, and McNairy Counties) and became certified as a American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and First Aid and CPR Instructor Trainer, teaching classes in the community and University. She taught the first integrated class in Chester County at the Courthouse (First Aid) during the Cuban Missile Crisis. She had a wonderful class of about 20 black and white students. After retirement from FHU, she served as Chair of HPR Dept. and taught at Lambuth University from 2009-11 until they closed. She also was adjunct Professor for UTM at Selmer and Parsons Centers for 12 years and two years for University of Memphis/Lambuth.
She worshiped at Henderson Church of Christ where she taught Bible Classes, was a Devotional speaker to Youth groups and taught classes at Mid-South Youth Camp. She traveled and did short term missions in Russia, Panama, Honduras, Guyana, South America and was a hostess for the Church of Christ Exhibit at New York World’s Fair 1964-65. While there, she was a contestant on ABC TV Game Show, Password, appearing with Carol Burnett. In summer of 1972, she was an “extra” in the movie Walking Tall filmed in Henderson.
She was honored in 1970 as an Outstanding Young Woman of America; in 1973 with FHC Distinguished Alumnus Award for Outstanding Service to Christian Education; and with the Distinguished Service Award for FHU Athletics.
Professional Memberships were in the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, serving on Executive Board 1975-76; the American Alliance of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; National Association of Girls and Women’s Sports and on Board of Directors. Locally, she was East Chester Elementary PTA President 1979-80, organizing the first PTA Vision Screening of students in Chester County Schools in cooperation with Chester County Lions Club and Education Dept.; Chester County PTA Council President; Southwest Regional PTA Director; State Health Chair PTA Board of Director; served on first Chester County Drug and Alcohol Task Force, securing the first D/A education grant for Chester County schools; appointed to Community Education Task Force by TN Dept. of Education; and served as Chair of Chester County Foster Care Child Review Board.
At FHU, she has served on the President’s Development Council, Athletic Committee, Endowment Committee, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Reaccreditation Steering Committee for FHU and numerous other committees. One of her greatest interests has been the Freed-Hardeman College Associates where she served as Chester County Chapter President 1967-69 and 2005-08, then as National President 1971-73 and 1983-85 traveling four states speaking and organizing chapters. There were 28 chapters in 1971 and 37 upon leaving office in 1973.
She is survived by her daughter, Julie Anne (Larry) Harris Vinson; son, Mark Russell Harris; grandson, Dr. Drew (Kayla) Blackstock; granddaughter, Brandi Lynn (Andrew) Blackstock Hill; great-granddaughters, Ola Jean, Georgia Rose, Sylvia Rene’ Blackstock of Tupelo, Miss.; great-grandson, Shepard Northrop Hill of Jackson; her brother, Dr. Dennis Neil (Sandra Altizer) Johnson of Hendersonville; a sister, Mary Sue Johnson Cole of Henderson; nieces, Nicole Johnson Singleton, Elizabeth Lynn Cole Naylor and Becky Cole Ada; and nephew, Chad Neil Johnson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn Harris; brother-in-law, John R. Cole; and nephew Daniel Earl Cole.
