Norma Jean Harris

Harris, Norma Jean Dew, died July 16 at home with her loving family at her side. She was born Dec.9, 1928 in St. Petersburg to Roy L. and Norma E. Dew. Her father was a pioneer in the automobile industry, and in the early 1900s founded Dew Luxury cars known as the St. Petersburg garage. In 1915, he established Dew Motor Cars which was the first exclusive Cadillac dealer in the United States. Mrs. Harris attended North Ward Elementary, Mirror Lake Junior High School and St. Petersburg High for one year before attending Ward Belmont School in Nashville, Tenn. In her senior year, she returned to St. Petersburg and graduated from St. Petersburg High School with the class of 1946. She attended Sullins College in Bristol, Va. And in her junior year transferred to the University of North Carolina. At Carolina she met her husband Walter Page Harris Jr. Following graduation, she and Page were married Sept.30,1950 at the First Baptist Church of St. Petersburg. Mr. Harris served in the Navy for three years as a supply officer. He returned to college to earn a master's degree in business administration from the Harvard School of business. The couple then returned to St. Petersburg where Mr. Harris joined his father-in-law in the Cadillac dealership. Mrs. Harris served on the boards of the Junior League of St. Petersburg, the YWCA and the Shorecrest Mothers Club. She made her debut at the annual Debutante Ball in 1948 and was a member of the Debutante Club. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority and the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Always impeccably groomed she never appeared in public without being perfectly "put together". Her fashion acumen was unchallenged. She was selected by the Woman's Service League for their "Hall of Fame." For years, the Harrises spent their summers in Carmel, Calif. They also traveled extensively in the United States and abroad as Dew Motors won award after award as one of the top Cadillac dealers in the country. Among her greatest pleasures were traveling with her husband and enjoying participation and involvement in her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed spending time with her many lifelong friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Walter Page Harris Jr. and her parents Roy L. and Norma E. Dew. She is survived by her daughter Kim Harris Groux(Jeff) of Rome, Ga. And Laurie Harris (Valarie Nussbaum-Harris and Walter Page Harris III(Marcie) of St Petersburg, Fl. Her grandchildren Jacquelyn Page Groux and Kristina Elizabeth Groux, Lauren Groux Nelson(Eric), Danielle Groux Watts(Tyler), Walter Page Harris IV, Natalie Gail Harris, Nicholas Page Nussbaum Harris and Ava Katherine Nussbaum Harris and great grandchildren Elliot and Mae Nelson. Also survived by her former daughter in law Debbie Stalker Harris. Visitation and service Memorial will be held at the Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, 2201 Martin Luther King Jr, St. N., Saturday July 22. Visitation from 1:30 to 3:30 with a memorial service at 3:30 p.m. burial following the service at Memorial Park Cemetery. A reception will be held at the Harris home. Memorials can be made to the SPCA, Humane Society, Suncoast Hospice or charity of choice.