Agnes Louise Goodrich Harris was born April 29, 1923 in Roscoe, Missouri and passed away February 16, 2012 in Sun City, Arizona. She was an unique and adventurous soul who traveled the world and touched many lives. Her greatest passions in life were family, friends, faith and education. In all of these areas she excelled.
She was the first child of the union of Forrest and Zena Goodrich. She would be joined by a sister Mary Lou approximately five years later.
The family settled in Osceola in 1940 where her father started the Goodrich Funeral Home. Agnes graduated from Roscoe High School and Central Missouri State University. Upon receiving her teaching degree she taught in several communities including Roscoe and Joplin, Missouri, and Shawnee Mission, Topeka and Dodge City, Kansas. She earned a Masters degree from Washburn University and received an honorary Doctorate degree from Central Baptist Seminary. She served as a Congressional Secretary to Rep. O. K. Armstrong (Missouri District 6) during his term in office.
She was recognized for her excellence in education and was inducted into the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame. Her many religious activities resulted in her being selected to serve on the National Board of American Baptist Churches (International Ministries) and was recognized for her church leadership by her inclusion in the first edition of Who’s Who in Religion.
Agnes married the love of her life, Charles Ivan Harris in 1953 in Vietnam where he was serving in the United States Navy at the Naval Attaché Office. He proceeded her in death in 1983. They had one daughter, Sheila who resides in Litchfield Park, AZ. Agnes moved to Arizona in 2000 to be near her only child.
She is survived by her sister Mary Lou (Springdale, Arkansas); daughter Sheila and son-in-law Kevin (Arizona); granddaughter and grandson-in-law Allegra and Andrew (California) and granddaughter Laurel (California) and many friends throughout the world.
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