Bernice Harris, age 98, formerly of Bunkie

Memorial graveside services for Bernice Harris were held at 12 p.m., Tuesday, November 26, 2019, at Kilpatrick’s Serenity Gardens in West Monroe. Bernice will was lay to rest with her beloved husband Tommy Harris.
Bernice passed away peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, November, 23, 2019 at the age of 98, after a long illness.
Bernice enjoyed a very long and happy life in Bunkie, LA where she was a hairdresser and cosmetologist. She and Tommy moved to Greenville, Mississippi in 1960 where they owned and operated a Walgreens Drug store for many years.
After retiring they spent their last years together in West Monroe, LA until Tommy’s death in 1994. Bernice attended and was a long time member of First Baptist Church in West Monroe.
Bernice was then excited to move to Hurst, TX in 2005 to be closer to and to be cared for by her son and family.  She spent many of her last years in Ashwood Assisted Living where the highlight of her stay was dancing with Texas Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos at a July 4th party. She adored her family and new friends in Texas but always missed her friends and life in Louisiana.

Beth (as she was known) was born on February 12, 1921 in Grayson, LA to her late parents Lillie and Ruffin Kirkland. 
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Thomas B Harris; brother R.B. Kirkland; sisters Roberta Ogelthorpe and Annie Mae Thompson; and also one loving daughter Judy Harris Hayes who died in November, 2000.
Beth is survived by her son, Robert L Reitzell and wife Sharon of Southlake, TX; daughter Sandra Harris Vinzant and husband Bill of Pensacola, FL; granddaughters Michelle Reitzell Schauer and husband Daryl of Keller, TX and Sherri Hayes Jones and husband Billy, of Mansfield, TX; grandsons Billy Vinzant, of Pensacola, FL, and Tommy Vinzant of Milton, FL; great- granddaughters Megan Starkey, of Austin, TX, Dr. Jordan Schauer, of Nashville, TN, Ashley Jones, of Mansfield, TX,  and Chloe, Cali, and Lily Vinzant, of Milton, FL.