Jeanne Marie Harris of Greenport passed away peacefully at home Jan. 15, 2025, with her youngest son at her side. She was 94.
Jeanne was born Dec. 6, 1930. During her childhood, Jeanne and her parents lived in the Brecknock Hall Mansion in Greenport. There, her mother, Ellen, was employed as the cook and her father, Clarence, was employed as groundskeeper. The Robertsons, who were the owners of Brecknock Hall, had no children; they treated Jeanne as though they were her second set of parents. At the age of 15, Jeanne moved with her parents back to the Webb home at 207 Knapp Place in Greenport.
During Jeanne’s later teenage years, she met a handsome young man from Peconic named Stanley J. Harris, and on Feb. 8, 1948, they were married at St. Agnes R.C. Church in Greenport. They were married for 69 years.
Jeanne had been employed in the retail business, having worked at the Arcade Department Store and later moving to the W. T. Grant department store in Greenport. Later in life, Jeanne’s smiling face could be seen behind the counter while serving customers at Covey’s farm stand on Main Road in Southold.
Jeanne enjoyed many hobbies, including spinning on the dance floor doing the polka, attending state and county fairs, taking trips with the family travel trailer and watching Stan, Pete and Cliff perform their magic — lighting up the skies during fireworks displays for public events.
Jeanne is survived by her children Keith (Kathy), of Wading River, Mary Ellen Gaylord of Shirley and Peter (June), of Greenport; her grandchildren Dr. Keith (Vanessa), of Wading River, Cliff (Kelly), of Southold, Nick (Kim) Gaylord of Tampa, Fla., Jack (Kim) Gaylord of New Hampton, N.Y., and Kristy (Kameron) Kaiser of Southold; great-grandchildren Naomi, Keith III, Georgia, Donovan, Eliana and Sophia; and lastly, by her longtime companion and loving cat, Sammy.
Family and friends will gather for visitation Wednesday, Jan. 22, from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. at Horton-Mathie Funeral Home, with a 1 p.m. funeral service officiated by Father Piotr “Peter” Narkiewicz.
Memorial donations may be made to East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978.
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