Anita Swaby Harris

Passed away on November 23, 2016 at 100 years old. She was the daughter of the late Luther Swaby and the late Irene Sampson and loving wife of the late Wilford Harris. She leaves in sorrow daughter Brenda, grandchildren Ola, Abi, Ayo, Raliat and greatgrandchildren Mayowa and Dara. She will be greatly missed by her nieces and nephews Avice, Leo, Jenny, Keith, Conroy, Clement, Violet, Joanne, Delroy, Judith, good friend Inez, and their familiesmany nephews, nieces and friends. She was predeceased by her brother Milton (Robbie) and her sister Tun. Family and friends may pay their respects on Sunday, December 11, 2016 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Racine, Robert & Gauthier Funeral Home, 180 Montreal Road, Ottawa. A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday December 12, 2016 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Assumption Church, 320 Olmstead Street, Ottawa. In Memory of Dorothy, donations to Our Lady of Assumption Church will be appreciated.

Biography : Anita Dorothy Harris was born in Windsor Castle, Portland, Jamaica on 28 August 1916. After emigrating to the United Kingdom in 1957, she later moved to Ottawa, Canada in the early 1970’s to take up employment as a homemaker with the late Dr. and Mrs Leslie of Ottawa Civic Hospital, helping to care for their growing family, while living and travelling with them as part of the family. She was later joined in Canada by her husband the late Wilford Nelson Harris who passed away in the year 2000.

On leaving the Leslies she worked at Island Lodge retirement home for several years until her retirement.

In the community, she has been a member of Assumption Catholic Church, Vanier and the Catholic Womens League of Canada for over 25 years, and a member of the church choir until she passed away.

A Lifelong member of the Legion of Mary she volunteered up until recently as a visitor to retirement homes to say the rosary with residents particularly at Elmsmere Place and Laurier Manor. From both places she received Certificates of Appreciation for her many years of service.

She has been a member of the Jamaica Ottawa Community Association and took part in their activities for many years while she was able.

Dorothy (as she is generally known by friends and family) has contributed to the upbringing of many family members in Jamaica, the United Kingdom and Canada. She is survived by her stepdaughter Brenda, who has 4 children and 2 grandchildren, by her husband’s niece Avice Small, nieces Jenny Johnson, Joanne Robinson, Violet Green and many other nieces and nephews.