Ms. Lillian Tene Harris, 96, of 235 Woods Rd, Pembroke, NC was born January 26, 1929 and went to her heavenly home on May 12, 2025. She was preceded in death by her husband, Mr. James B. Harris, her parents, Ada Locklear and Emily Locklear, stepfather John Locklear, two sisters, Christine Oxendine and Debra Cummings, and three brothers, Aworth Locklear, Edward “Ada” Locklear, and John Pat Locklear.
She leaves to cherish her memory her beloved sons: James B. Harris Jr (Jo Ann), Dwight Harris (Tina), and Brant P. Harris (Jeanette), five grandchildren, Johanna Jacobs (Mickey), Jamie Harris, Aaron Harris (Callie), Jacob Harris, Katelyn Harris, and two great grandchildren, Kenadi Jones and Elias Harris. Two sisters, Emily Oxendine and Merriel Locklear, three brothers, Charlie T. Locklear, Stephen Locklear and Colonel R. Locklear. A special sister-in-law, Lucy Jane Harris and her caregivers, Linda Lowery, Megan Oxendine and Geraldine Green.
The funeral will be 12:30p.m. Saturday, May 17, 2025 at Prospect Community Church with Revs. Prentis Harris III, Dell Harris and James Harris, Jr. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Ms. Harris was raised in a family that emphasized education, hard work and faith as a pathway to success. She embraced learning and was a good student. She graduated salutatorian of her high school class in 1945 at the age of 16. She then attended the university her great grandfather helped found, currently the “University of North Carolina at Pembroke.” She graduated in 1949 at the age of 20 with a BS in education specializing in the primary grades. After graduation she taught in Robeson and Hoke County public schools for 32 years. She taught the primary grades and later in her career became a reading specialist to help children who had difficulty reading. After her retirement in 1985 she continued teaching as a substitute teacher until the age of 83. Ms. Lillian attended Prospect church after she married at the age of 24. She accepted Christ as her personal savior years before. She attended Prospect Church for about 72 years during which time she taught an adult Sunday school class for more than 50 years. She sang in the choir and was a staple in the bible study class that met on Sunday afternoons. She led many people to the Lord by telling them what they had to do to be saved. She was always about the Lord’s work, witnessing to the unsaved, providing guidance and support and teaching to the newly saved and those eager to grow in their Christian faith. She was committed to her family, friends, and community and the effort to support people’s overall wellbeing and growth in all aspects of their lives. She was a lifelong learner and would often say “This world is a classroom.” She did not believe in idleness as was seen in her many passions: quilting, gardening, canning, doll making, soap making and root working “talking to you about your genealogy” going back generations.
The family will receive friends from 11am – 12:30p.m. Saturday, May 17, 2025 at Prospect Community Church.
In lieu of flowers memoriams can be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, Attn: Office of Development, 2900 N. Rocky Point Drive Tampa, FL 33607 US, in honor of her granddaughter, Kenadi Jones
