Velda "Zelda" Mae Harris passed away in her home peacefully on November 25, 2023, surrounded and comforted by her family. She was born on September 25, 1943, to the late Hugh Victor and Elsie Hall Flowers in Sharkey County, Mississippi. She was the beloved wife of the late ENC Billy Don Harris for 42 years and beloved mother to her three children, Pastor William "David" (Hope) Harris, Jennifer (Chaplain Robert) Curtis, and Rose Harris Miller; her eight grandchildren, Stephanie (Paite Churchwell) Harris Hebert, Katie (Cody) Dixon, 2nd Lt. Michael Harris, Bryan (Kristan) Harris, Rene (Kesha Lawson) Martinez, Alexis (Dustin) White, Shelby (Amee) Harris, Sophia Miller; and her four great-grandchildren, Karson Elijah Herbert, Autumn Bella Rosa Lawson-Martinez, Charlotte Evelyn-Mae White, Leighton Harris, and other members of her extended family. Also, her beloved fur baby, Sheeva.
Velda began her career as a telephone operator for "Ma Bell" in New Orleans, LA. In 1974, she began working for the federal government which she was employed with for 40 years and ended her career with NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service in Pascagoula, MS. During her free time, she could be found attending various church activities as well as reading, shopping, and going for long rides ending with a side road picnic and/or walking down nature trails. She was a devote Christian who faithfully attended both Griffin Street Baptist Church and then, Escatawpa Baptist Church, both of Moss Point, MS, but no matter where her church letter was, she always knew that Heaven was her Forever Home. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, sister, and everything to everyone in between. No matter what name you knew her by whether Momma, Granny, Zookeeper or Big Z, you always knew she loved you no matter what.
The family would like to thank the SRHS Hospice of Light Team for taking exceptional care of her and aiding in her comfort during these last few months.
Her relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation service on Thursday, November 30, 2023, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm followed by a funeral service from 8:00pm to 8:30pm at Holder-Wells Funeral Home in Moss Point, MS. There will be a small burial service held the following Friday, December 01, 2023, at 10:00am Biloxi National Cemetery, in Biloxi, MS on the grounds of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made in memory to the International Mission Board ( www.imb.org ), North American Mission Board ( www.namb.net ), or any charitable organization supporting medical research for Alzheimer's Foundation or American Cancer Society.
To share condolences and sign the online register book in Velda's memory, please visit www.holderwellsfuneralhome.com .
Holder-Wells Funeral Home served The Harris Family.