Evelyn Creth Harris, 103, of Heppner died, Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at Good Shepherd Hospital in Hermiston. A graveside service will be held Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 11 a.m. at the Heppner Masonic Cemetery.
She was born on February 18, 1917 at Hardman, Oregon, the daughter of JE “Ed” and Maude Rice Craber. The Craber family moved frequently in her formative years living in Hardman, Lexington, Pendleton, The Dalles, and Arlington. Creth graduated from Hardman Union High School in 1935 (According to the family joke, second in a class of two). Following school, she worked as a domestic and cook for ranches in the area. She was said to have been the sole cook for a harvest crew of over 30 one season.
In 1939 she married Darrel Harris in Heppner. Their marriage lasted 60 years until his death. In the early years of their marriage Darrel worked mostly in the woods where he was a faller and she was often the cook for the logging and sawmill crews. In 1956 they moved to the ranch on Upper Rhea Creek. In the years she was raising her boys she was mainly a homemaker, but as they got older, she took a job at Wright’s Country Store at Ruggs. She was in her element at the store. A “people person’ Creth loved her customers and they loved her.
Upon her retirement, she and Darrel settled into a quiet lifestyle on their Upper Rhea Creek place where she lived until she was nearly 103. In her retirement years she was often seen walking the two-mile route up the road to the Slocum place and back. In her later years the boys took care of her until she moved to Ashley Manor in Hermiston.
She is survived by her sons Bob Harris and his wife Betty of Boise and John Harris and his wife Barb of Athena, a grandson Brad of Meridian, Idaho, a great-granddaughter Brooke Perez and her husband Anthony and two great-great granddaughters Bayley and Brooklyn. Three step grandchildren; Todd Richmond and his wife Jennifer, Stacey Owens and her husband Josh, Jake Richmond and seven step great grandchildren. Nieces and nephews: Reverend DonnaMae Grannemann and her husband Glenn of The Dalles, Don Craber of Clarkston, Dale Hill and his wife Betty of LaPine, Creagh Williams and her husband Jim of LaPine, and Sheryl Kelly and her husband Skip of Portland.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hardman Community Center in care of Dan VanSchoiack, 51353 Sunflower Flat, Heppner, Oregon 97836.
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