Edna “Gongs” Harris of Oaklyn, NJ, passed peacefully on December 7th, 2022 at the age of 93 (many moons). She was born November 11, 1929 in Philadelphia, Pa, just a few short weeks after the Great Crash of Wall Street, but her neighborhood didn’t notice. She grew up poor in Kensington and always worked very hard for her money…..and she knew how to stretch a dollar. Edna skipped two grades in school because she had already mastered the material. She graduated at the age of 16 and went right to work. She accompanied her friend on a job interview, and ended up getting a job too. And she always found a job whenever she needed one. She was a pioneer for women’s issues before it was the norm. She wore pants under her school uniform during the winter before anyone else dared to do so. She was the first in her neighborhood to buy her own car, and she was fiercely, fiercely independent. If you worked with her, you knew she was always singing….and most of the time she didn’t realize she was singing aloud. She was honest and she always did things on her own terms.
Edna is survived by her beloved children, Andrea Weisgerber (Pat), David Harris, Sandra Harris; “Gongs” to Rachel Brown (KJ) Nicole Copes (Mike), Patrick Weisgerber (Laura), and Zachary Weisgerber (Ava Nowak) and Great Grandchildren, Destiny, Logan and Elaina Copes, Ploy and Hana Brown, Samuel Weisgerber and Aunt to many special nieces and nephews.
Edna retired as a real estate agent with Lenny, Vermaat & Leonard Real Estate in Haddonfield, NJ, but she had many jobs throughout her life; soda jerk, keypunch operator, hostess, worked at Stetson Hat, clerk at Strawbridge’s, fashion show commentator for Moana Fashions, sales for The Gloucester County Times, worked for Gloucester County Cable in the infancy of cable TV, also worked as a realtor for Weichert and Hoey Real Estate. Edna most enjoyed volunteering her time wherever she felt she could make a difference; at Cooper University Medical Center, the Ritz Theater, AARP Tax Services, Collingswood Board Office, Sharp School, Girl Scout Leader, and many other organizations.
Family and friends are invited to her visitation on Saturday, January 21st, 2023 from 11 am to 12 pm at the McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, 851 Monmouth Street, Gloucester City, NJ. Edna’s Life Celebration will be held at 12:00. Interment will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Edna’s name may be made to The Ritz Theatre Co, Haddon Township, (https://ritztheatreco.org) or The Lighthouse, Inc. ( https://www.lighthouse1893.org/ )
Condolences and Memories may be shared at www.mccannhealey.com under the obituary of Edna Harris. Funeral Arrangements and Inquires may be made through: McCANN-HEALEY FUNERAL HOME, Gloucester City, NJ. Ph:856 – 456 – 1142
