Juanita Harris

Juanita Storey Harris, 90 of Carmel, IN passed away April 11, 2022. She caught the “Heaven Express” at 12:15 Monday afternoon. She was born in Fayetteville, TN to George Hatton and Vesta Coble Storey on August 21, 1931. She was a graduate of Central High School in Fayetteville and attended business school in Nashville, TN. Shortly following her graduation, Juanita went to work for the Army Ballistic Missile Center in Huntsville, Alabama.  While working there in 1962, she was assigned to attend and work protocol for a space capsule launch at Cape Kennedy, Florida. NASA had made reservations for her at the Polaris Motel, where a young Jack Harris was working as the general manager. Jack and Juanita met in the lobby when she and her co-workers checked in. Juanita always enjoyed telling people, “yes, Jack and I met in a motel.” She travelled there several additional times, and Jack whisked her off to dinner. Jack always felt that Juanita and her three children were God’s gifts. They were married on August 10, 1963.

Juanita transferred from Huntsville to Cape Kennedy and took a position working with the test conductors on the Apollo program. In 1966, the Harris family made the decision to move to Indianapolis. Soon there-after with NASA on her resume, Juanita went to work at the Naval Avionics Facility in Indianapolis, retiring in 1992.

Juanita was a longtime member of Zionsville Presbyterian Church. She is a member of the Zionsville Great Banquet Community and she and Jack made five mission trips to Romania. Juanita loved the people and the children of Romania and always had fond memories of those trips.

She is survived by her sons, Thomas G. Harris (Diane) of Ypsilanti, MI, and Gregory R. Harris (Carol) of Avon, IN; and her son-in-law, Craig Rice of Fishers, IN. Sadly, their daughter, Sandi Jane Rice lost her battle with cancer in 2016. Also surviving are three grandchildren, Ross Harris, Carmel, IN, Mindy Harris, of Carmel, and Kelly Sartino of Fishers, IN; and eight great-grandchildren. She loved them all and was a joy to them growing up.

Juanita was a big fan of IU sports, the New York Yankees, and the old Pacers when they played at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum. She was truly a “people person” and loved sharing a glass of wine with friends and neighbors on the Harris front porch. She will be missed by her family and all who had the pleasure of her friendship. Memorial services will be held at the Zionsville Presbyterian Church, Zionsville, IN at 4 PM on Friday, April 22, 2022.

Friends are welcome to visit from 3PM until the time of the service. Memorial contributions can be made to American Patriots For God And Country, Inc. PO Box 520, Carmel, IN 46082.

Friends may leave a memory or a message of condolences by visiting https://www.arnmortuary.com/obituary/Juanita-Harris