Laura Burney Harris died November 1, 2021, in Nashville, TN.
Born August 3, 1927 in Jackson, Tennessee, the only daughter of Theo Murphy Burney and Honor Crosby Burney.
She was predeceased by her grandparents Elisha Herron and Ada Anthony Burney and George Leonard and Laura Waddell Sanders Crosby, also by her cousins Miriam Watt and Paul Sanderfer of Rock Hill, SC. Her maternal ancestors were pioneer settlers in the old 16th District of West Tennessee near Humboldt.
Laura was a graduate of Jackson High School and Union University in Jackson, TN. For 12 years she was a director of the Public Information Office at Union, followed by several years as a column writer for The Jackson Sun. Earlier she worked as a secretary at the FBI in Washington, DC. After relocating to Nashville in 1979 and until her retirement 30 years later, she worked part-time as a legislative reporter and clerk on the floor of the Senate of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee.
A lover of sports, she played softball and tennis in high school and college and won several tennis trophies in women’s singles, including the FBI Recreation Association Tournament in Washington, D.C. She was a past chairman of the Women’s Golf Group at Hillwood Country Club and was a member of the Nashville Women’s Golf Association.
Laura lost her beloved husband of 56 years, Fred Hewitt Harris, on February 10, 2021. She is survived by her nephew, Van J. Sanderfer, Grand Island, Nebraska, two nephews-in-law, William B. Cole, Lake Tahoe, CA and Steven R. Cole, Huntersville, TN, Godson, Shannon Geyer, Jackson, TN, Goddaughter, Laura Kay Ferrell, Nashville, TN, and life-long best friends Dixie L. Geyer, Jackson, TN, and Nancy G. Senter, Nashville, TN.
A graveside service will be held at 1:00 PM Sunday, November 7, 2021, at the Andrews Chapel Methodist Church Cemetery in Huntersville, TN with Jean Jackson officiating.
In lieu of flowers memorials are requested to the Union University Alumni Fund, 1050 Union University Drive, Jackson, TN 38305, or to the charity of your choice.
An online guestbook for the Harris family is available at www.woodfinchapel.com.
Woodfin Memorial Chapel. (615) 893-5151.
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