Georgia (Van Winkle) Harris, age 90, died peacefully in her sleep early Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013.
A native Arkansan, she was born on March 31, 1923, the twelfth of fourteen children, to the late
William and Ollie VanWinkle. Georgia was the last of her generation.
From 1941-45, Georgia worked in defense plants in Springfield, MO and Little Rock. She began
corresponding with Bill Harris while he was still overseas. The couple married June 25, 1946 and
moved to Springfield, Misssouri, where they lived for almost 50 years. Bill and Georgia had two
children, Twyla and Tyson, and after the death of Twyla and her husband Bob Hodge in 1975, Bill and
Georgia adopted their grandson Damon.
Georgia was baptized at age 14 in the Strawberry River. She was a faithful member of the North
National Church of Christ (now Watermill) in Springfield from 1946-92, and of the College Church of
Christ from 1992-96 & 2000-13. In the 1960s, she went on gospel campaigns to Israel, South Africa,
Guatemala, and Australia. She also wrote about her faith. In 1968, Bill became Superintendent of the
Fair Haven Children’s Home, and for the next 19 years, Georgia was his right hand.
Bill & Georgia moved permanently to Searcy, AR in February 2000. Bill died of Alzheimer’s in
December 2001. She became passionate about Alzheimer’s and read voraciously about it. Georgia was
a great reader, and she constantly passed books onto others.
She is survived by her son Tyson Harris of Tulsa, OK, grandson Daniel Harris of Kokomo, IN,
Damon & Julie Harris of Searcy and their son, James, and many nephews & nieces, including Nancy
Walker of Searcy, Gaylon VanWinkle of Bay, AR, and Dan Bettis of Texas.
Funeral and burial will be conducted in Springfield, MO at Greenlawn North at 1 p.m. on Sat.,
Nov. 2nd. Memorial and Visitation in Searcy, AR will be Tuesday, Nov. 5th from 6-8 pm in the College
Church of Christ Family Room. Memorials may be made to the Fair Haven Children’s Home in
Strafford, MO or the Missions Committee of the College Church in Searcy.