Juanita Ruth (Cameron) Harris, born September 8, 1933 in Carson Siding, Woodland (Aroostook County) Maine heard the ringing of the Heavenly Bell and the “Come Home” call of her Lord’s voice and went home to be with Jesus on August 5, 2018, age 84. She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Violet (Ells) Cameron and her brother, Robert W. Cameron.
Even before attending elementary grades in a one room schoolhouse in Carson Siding, she knew she was going to grow up and be a teacher. After graduating high school in 1951, she enrolled in Aroostook State Teachers College (now known as the University of Maine at Presque Isle) completed their two-year Teachers Training Program and earned her State of Maine Teacher’s License. Her first year of teaching was at Woodland (Aroostook County) School for the 1953-1954 school year.
Juanita met her husband; Richard Lee Harris of Alameda, California, during the summer of 1953 while he was stationed at the now closed Loring Air Force Base located in Limestone, Maine. They were married on September 2, 1954. She became a second grade teacher for the Limestone School System at the Damon School on the Air Force Base until 1958 when her husband was transferred to Alaska.
After several years of military assignments around the country, Richard separated from the Air Force and Juanita returned to teaching second grade again for the Limestone School System in 1967. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in 1971 from the University of Maine and retired in 1995. At her retirement ceremony, it was noted that of the close to one thousand students she taught, some had went on to become doctors, lawyers, and teachers.
Juanita is survived by her husband, Richard Harris of Omaha, NE, her children: Bonita Hopper and husband, Ralph of Cedar Bluffs, NE and Dale Harris and wife Karen of Christchurch, New Zealand; her grandsons: Rev. Erik Boulier and wife Pam of Ripon, WI, Gene Hopper and wife Michelle, Chris Hopper and wife Katie, and Josh Hopper all of Omaha, NE; her great-granddaughters: Riley Boulier of Ripon, WI and Ayla Jane (AJ) Hopper of Omaha, NE; her sister, Brenda Swafford and husband Larry of Caribou, ME; her sister-in-law, Rose Cameron of Caribou, ME and several nieces and nephews.
A private family service will be held on August 14, 2018 at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery, Omaha, NE.
