“Well done thy good and faithful servant…” Matthew 25:23

Mary Frances Harris, 86, of Clarksburg, WV passed away on Monday, November 29, 2021 at Mon General Hospital in Morgantown, WV. She was born April 29, 1935 in Marlington, WV, the daughter of the late Ruby Frances Mace Sharp and was later raised by Marie Lowery.

At the age of seven, Mary was taken in by a high school principal and his wife. They showed Mary the truest agape love, and because of that love Mary gained an unquenchable love for two things in life; music and family. 

As a child, Mary’s love for music was realized through friendship. Her friend’s parents paid for piano lessons for their daughter, and Mary would attend with her. The teacher caught on quickly that the duo, Mary and her friend, only attended lessons for Mary but taught them together anyway.

As she grew older, and the family that raised her did, too, Mary would sneak out of the house and into the back pew of the chapel at West Virginia Wesleyan College where she would listen to students rehearsing organ and dream of her future in music. 

Later at Kelly Miller High School, Mary was an active participant in the Glee Club and at sixteen she began serving as the pianist and choir director for the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Clarksburg, WV; a position she held up until her late 70’s.

Throughout her life, Mary freely shared her musical gifts. She played at many churches in Clarksburg and Fairmont, recorded a gospel CD with the late Charlie Freeman, and volunteered to play piano for services at the Clarksburg VA Medical Center. She was widely known and respected for her ability to play anything by ear, read music, and for her beautiful lyric soprano singing voice. 

Mary’s love for music, her family, and Mt. Zion filled her life with joy. She is survived by five children, Derek Sharp, Joseph Griffin II and his girlfriend Becky Blankenship both of Huntington, Lynn and Stefan Wilkinson of Mililani, HI, Lawrence and Lisa Griffin of Stonewood, WV, and Troy Griffin of Clarksburg, WV. Mary also raised two of her grandchildren De’on Shaikh of Ohio, and Tia Price of Baltimore, MD. She had fourteen grandchildren, many great grandchildren, and great, great grandchildren.

Mary was preceded in death by her two husbands, Joseph B Griffin and Charles A Harris. One son, Spencer Lee Griffin, 2018, and one daughter Mary Yvonne Shaikh, 2021.

In addition to her biological family, Mary loved and nurtured many youth that attended Mt. Zion as if they were her own and was so blessed by their visits, love, and phone calls throughout the years. 

She is also survived by a loving church community at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church who also visited Mary often and showered her with love. 

Family will receive friends at Davis Funeral Home, 124 Olen Thomas Drive, Clarksburg, WV 26301 on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 from 3. 7PM. Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at11:00AM with Pastor Dr. Rahsaan Armand officiating. Interment will follow at the WV National Cemetery. Online condolences can be on her memorial page at DavisFuneralHomeWV.com. Davis Funeral Home is honored to assist the Harris/Griffin family during this difficult time.

 

This webcast will take place on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 11:00 AM.

Watch webcast for Mary Frances Harris:
https://webcasts.lifetributes.com/1181507