Marylin L. Harris, 89, peacefully passed away surrounded in the love of her family on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne.
Marylin was born on Feb. 4, 1936, in Decatur, to Carl and Mabel Bolinger Smith. She was the princess of the family with four older brothers and affectionately called her parents Mother and Daddy. The family would move to Pierceton, and she would be crowned Miss Pierceton and the Queen of Basketball before graduating from Pierceton High School.
One of her first jobs was working the switchboard at the Milnot Factory in Warsaw. One day, a young man made a delivery, and they caught each other’s eye. One more encounter in a restaurant turned into a date. That date turned into 61 years of love, laughs and memories. Marylin would marry Robert N. “Bob” Harris on April 19, 1957, in the Evangelical United Brethren Church, now Trinity United Methodist Church, in Warsaw.
In the ’70s, the couple moved to the Fort Wayne area. Bob, an architect, designed and built their dream home. Marylin was the secretary for over 10 years at the former Bethel United Methodist Church, now Global Methodist Church. She then decided to take on a new business adventure with her best friend and opened “The Flower Nook,” a floral shop they operated for over 25 years in Fort Wayne.
Marylin was always a simple woman who was mindful of others. She was humble but never wanted attention drawn to herself. You just always knew she would be there to take care of you and make sure you were okay. She tried to instill in her family the act of being selfless and always caring for others. But Marylin could be quite ornery and loved to joke around and make people laugh.
Her love of flowers shined bright at home with her immaculate gardens of flowers and vegetables. Marylin loved a good shopping trip, especially to Shipshewana. She enjoyed listening to the Gaither gospel music and loved to decorate her home. The couple also enjoyed traveling together. For 50 years, Marylin, Bob and a group of 12 other couples, would rotate hosting for their monthly card club of euchre and adored that lasting friendship.
After Bob’s passing on July 4, 2018, Marylin found it harder to attend Bethel United Methodist Church weekly without him. She was still a devout member, but she couldn’t go alone. She soon started watching services online at St. Joe United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne, and that made her joyful.
Marylin is survived by her son, Todd Harris, of Decatur; her daughter, Penni Loomis, of Fort Wayne; six grandchildren: Dustin Loomis, Lyndi (Michael) Sills, Tye (Shannon) Harris, Ashley (Tyler) Moreland, Brandon (Chelsey) Harris and Brooke (Kenneth) Harris; six great-grandchildren: Rylie, Grayce, Wesley, Adalaide, Scarlett and Lilly; sisters-in-law, Lois Smith, Viola Smith and Lois Kline; and special loved ones: Rosalyn and Jerry Isch, Ann Fuller and Joann and Merl Heckaman and many other close friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; son, Jeffery Alan Harris; her parents; great-grandson, Aiden; and brothers: Eddie, Gale, Art and Donnie (Mary) Smith.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 15 at the Oakwood Cemetery Chapel, 421 N. Maple Ave., Warsaw. She will then be laid to rest next to her husband.