Gloria M. Harris, 68, sales rep
Gloria M. Harris, 68, of Philadelphia's Brewerytown section, a retired customer service representative for several area companies and department stores, died of cancer on Friday, March 29, at home.
Ms. Harris was known among family and friends as a good cook who prepared favorite meals for holidays and special occasions.
She was an outgoing woman who was "very welcoming to anyone she met. She was a very quiet and sweet person," said her sister Miriam Harris.
Ms. Harris was raised in Brewerytown and lived there much of her life.
She attended Philadelphia public schools. Ms. Harris had a son and a daughter.
She worked as a customer service representative for the American International Group insurance company, where she answered customer inquiries in the early 1990s.
Ms. Harris later worked for Kimberly-Clark, the paper products manufacturer in Newtown Square, in the mid-1990s. She worked in sales at Strawbridge & Clothier in Center City in the 1980s. In the early 2000s, she worked in sales at Macy's in King of Prussia. She retired in 2003.
Among the things she enjoyed were sewing, knitting, raising houseplants, and listening to "doo-wop" music.
In her younger years, Ms. Harris enjoyed sewing, making clothes for herself, and caring for her children.
She belonged to a knitting group that met weekly at the Center in the Park, a senior center in Germantown. There they would make baby booties, scarves, and other items.
Ms. Harris also enjoyed cooking favorite dishes for her family and friends.
"She did home cooking and baking," Miriam Harris said. "Her favorites were corn pudding, roast beef, and cheesecake. Anytime we had any kind of family occasion, we could always depend on Gloria to bring those things."
Ms. Harris also had a green thumb for houseplants.
"She had plants all over the house, from large ones with big leaves to small cactuses, just as long as they were green," her sister said.
Ms. Harris was a "savvy shopper," her sister said.
"She would always compare prices," Miriam Harris said. "She would never buy something when she thought she could get a better price, because she knew the various stores, the various brands, and what the prices should be."
In addition to her sister, Ms. Harris is survived by a son, Aaron Harris; a daughter, Jeneen Scaife; three sisters; a brother; and her father.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Ivan M. Kimble Funeral Home, 1100 N. 63d St., Philadelphia.
Contact Vernon Clark at 215-854-5717 or vclark@phillynews.com.
