Marilyn Harris

Daughter, sister, banker, wife, mother, Patch ‘n Chat member, gardener, truck driver, mail carrier, grandma and great grandma, graduated to heaven October 25, 2020. Marilyn Marie Solterbeck Harris was the sixth of three brothers and three sisters born to HB & Louise Solterbeck of Payette, Idaho October 12, 1930. She attended West Side elementary school and Payette Jr. High and High Schools, graduating in the class of 1948. Shortly after graduation she got a job at First Security Bank. She enjoyed working with people and was soon working in a teller’s cage. She enjoyed that for five years but met a farmer by the name of Clifford Harris. After dating for a year she decided the young farmer needed her more than the bank did and they were married November 21, 1953. She took on any job that needed to be done, whether on a tractor or working in the garden or driving harvest trucks for neighbors. Our mail carrier found out Marilyn was driving a harvest truck for a neighbor. At that time, the regular mail carrier could hire their sub-carrier, and he figured if mom could drive a beet truck, she could probably handle carrying the mail. That worked into a full time mail route and after 25 years she was ready to retire. She and dad spent several years traveling and gardening. They enjoyed traveling to all fifty states and most of the Canadian Provence’s. They also traveled over-seas and especially enjoyed visiting the relatives in Germany. She loved to work in her yard and garden and won numerous grand prizes with her flowers at the Malheur County Fair. Her yard was also a place of play and entertainment as they hosted numerous Patch ‘n Chat, church, class reunions, neighborhood, family reunions and even two weddings in her back yard. If you are reading this, you were probably at a picnic in their yard at one time or another. She also loved to cook and even in her small kitchen produced a lot of wonderful food for family and friends. If you knew Marilyn, you knew there was room for one more (or five more) at the dinner table at a moments notice. She loved family and friends and made everyone feel welcome to her home, yard and garden. She raised three sons and a daughter that loved her dearly and give her credit for teaching them the value of hard work and doing the best at whatever they are doing. Mom’s body just wore out and she passed peacefully at home – she was ready to go home to heaven. She is survived by her husband Clifford, son Craig (and Lydia) Harris of Forest Grove, OR, son Jeff (and Teresa) Harris of Corvallis, OR, daughter Elaine (and Gary) Taylor of Ontario, and Son David (and Kelly) Harris of Eugene, OR. Grandchildren Laura, Christina, Katie, Cory, Amy, Destiny and Haliegh and 7 great grandchildren. She is proceeded in death by her parents, two brothers, one sister and a grandson Spencer Taylor. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Butte Baptist Church of Ontario. A memorial service for Marilyn will be held this Saturday, October 31st at 11:00am at the Butte Baptist Church. Limited seating will be available for close friends and family. Everyone else is welcome to come and stay in your car and listen to the service in your car over FM 87.9. Interment will follow at Valley View Cemetery outside Vale, OR for family and close friends. Per Covid realities we are encouraging masks and social distancing for everyone’s safety. Condolences can be made to the family at www.linkaemper-thomason.com Arrangements by Lienkaemper Chapel, Ontario