Esther L. Harris

Louise Peterson Harris, a resident of Jacksonville, Florida, died October 1, 2011. Mrs. Harris was the widow of the late J. Lonnie Harris. She was born October 25, 1923, in Richmond, Virginia to Esther Powers Peterson and Stephen Greacen Peterson.

As a young child, Louise moved to Norfolk, Virginia, with her family, and attended J.E.B. Stuart School, Blair Jr. High School, and Maury High School, graduating in 1942. After high school, she attended Kee Business College and was then employed by the Seaboard Railroad in Norfolk. It was at the Seaboard where she met her future husband Lonnie. They were married April 28, 1951, at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Norfolk.

Mrs. Harris and her husband were transferred to Richmond, Virginia, where they resided for five years. A transfer to Jacksonville, Florida, followed and they continued their employment with CSX upon the merger of the Seaboard Railroad and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. Upon her retirement in 1986, Mrs. Harris had risen to the position of Administrative Assistant to the General Manager of CSX. Following her retirement, she served for many years as a Volunteer at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Jacksonville.

Mrs. Harris is survived by two sisters, Jeanne P. Holland and Mary P. Scheible, both of Virginia Beach, Virginia; a brother, Stephen Greacen Peterson, Jr., and his wife Althea of Raleigh, North Carolina; sisters-in-law, Anne Hammack Peterson of Austin, Texas, and Evelyn Harris of Raleigh, North Carolina. She was predeceased by her brother Robert Christian Peterson of Odessa, Texas. She is also survived by nieces and goddaughters Cindy Holland Mabus of Greer, SC, and Sarah Peterson Perlov of Cary, NC; nieces Nancy Holland Hodges and Mary Evelyn Scheible of Virginia Beach, VA, Linda Peterson of Raleigh, NC, Susan Peterson Smith of Dallas, TX, Anne Peterson Hahn of Austin, TX, Christa Peterson Stanley of Midlothian, TX, Betsy King Wash of Atlanta, GA, and Mary Harris Lombard of Oxford, NC; nephews Langley Holland and Stephen Holland of Virginia Beach, VA, Jack Scheible, Jr., of Springfield, VA, Stephen G. Peterson III of Wilson, NC, and William B. Harris of Raleigh, NC.

Mrs. Harris is also survived by: the beloved son of her heart, her foster son, John P. Bachman, daughter-in-law Debra Bachman, and grandson Cameron Bachman, all of Manakin-Sabot, VA; daughter-in-law Connie Bachman Hamilton, grandson Ryan Bachman, granddaughter and goddaughter Ashley Harris Bachman Heid, and great-grandchildren Anna Heid and Alexander Heid, all of Glen Allen, VA.

A viewing will be held in Jacksonville at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 729 South Edgewood Avenue, on Thursday October 6, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:00PM, with a prayer service at 7:00PM by the Rev. Anne Stewart Hemphill. Arrangements in Richmond will be handled by Woody’s Funeral Home, 1771 Parham Road, Richmond, VA.

Mrs. Harris will be interred next to her husband in the Powers family plot, Riverview Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia at 1:00PM Monday, October 10, 2011. The graveside service will be conducted by the Rev. Dr. Ronald W. Spangenberg. After the burial, a reception will be held at the home of Mrs. Connie Hamilton.