She was born on June 20, 1934 in Alpine, Texas to Eugene Pinkney Odell, Sr. and Gladys Peters Odell. She grew up in El Paso (Ysleta), Texas as the youngest of three children and the youngest of many Odell family cousins. She adored her brother Gene Odell, Jr. and loved her sister Jo Evelyn (Jo) Talley who both preceded her in death. She grew up riding her horse Lady throughout Ysleta and attended Ysleta High School where she was a cheerleader and made life long friends. She attended Texas Tech University and the University of Texas at El Paso where she was a Tri-Delt and was graduated in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She taught elementary school in Odessa and Ysleta before she married Donald Robert (Don R.) Harris, her beloved husband and best friend, on August 3, 1959. They met in 1948 when they both attended Ysleta High School and Ysleta Baptist Church. Don and Glad had three daughters, Leslie, Heather and Stephanie. Glad stayed at home for thirteen years to be a full time mother- and what a great mother she was, as the anchor of the family who was creative, fun and an example of love in action. When her three daughters became school-aged, she returned to the classroom where she taught and treasured fifth graders for many years. Glad received her master’s degree in elementary education and obtained her administrator’s certificate at Sul Ross State University in 1986 and became an assistant principal at Mesa Vista Elementary school. She retired from Mesa Vista to travel with Don.
Glad was a loyal friend with friendships dating back to high school. She enjoyed getting together and trips with her friends. She played bridge regularly, was a member of the Ysleta Women’s Club and El Paso PEO, chapter D where she served over the years as recording secretary and chaplin. She was a member of Assistance League of El Paso and volunteered many hours at the Assistance League Thrift Shop.
Glad had a deep, unflinching faith in God and lived her life as an example that had ripple effects across many lives. She was a faithful member of Ysleta Baptist Church and Scotsdale Baptist Church (1976- 2023) where she attended and taught Sunday school, Bible school and gave half-time devotionals at Upward Basketball while serving on many committees and singing in the choir.
Glad’s favorite place on earth was her glassed in porch that Don built for her. She spent many hours with Don on that porch among her carefully tended plants and flowers.
Glad’s family was her greatest joy and love. Glad and Don put their daughters through college and graduate school and cared for their grand children- they drove them everywhere and loved going to games and events.
Glad is survived by her best friend, sous-chef, soulmate and husband of 64 years, Don R. Harris; her three beloved daughters and their husbands: Leslie Hardaway (Col. (Ret.) Russell Hardaway), Heather Harris Rattan (Randall Rattan) and Stephanie Fleming (John Fleming); her grandchildren who called her GG and loved her chocolate chip cookies and banana bread: Jacqueline Kubitz, Jennifer (Jenna) Kubitz, Mercer Fleming, Claire Odell Rattan, Windy Hardaway (Jeff Toreki) and Sherry Hidalgo (Daniel) and her great grand children Gunner Drost-Kubitz, Hudson Guear-Kubitz, Harper Guear-Kubitz, Alex Hidalgo, Anna Hidalgo, Taylor Dietz and Logan Dietz; her Harris family brother and sisters-in-law Doris Harris and Earl and Charlotte Harris; and her many loved Odell and Harris nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death were her parents, sister and brother, Don’s parents John Neal Harris, Sr., Estelle Price Harris and Cora Harris; and her brothers and sisters in law John Neal (Johnny) Harris, Jr., Mary Ann Harris, Edwin Harris and Cleo Odell.
A memorial and celebratory service will be Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 1 p.m. at Scotsdale Baptist Church, 10015 Lockerbie, El Paso, Texas. The family will commit her ashes at a later time in the Franklin Mountains where Glad’s Mother’s ashes were placed.
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