Obituary of Barbara Louise Harris

Barbara Louise Harris, 89, passed away on Friday, June 16, 2023 at Newton Memorial Hospital in Newton, NJ.

Born and raised in Plainfield, Barbara resided in Tewksbury and Lebanon for many years before relocating to Newton.

She was baptized and confirmed at the former Monroe Avenue Methodist Church in Plainfield which is currently the Wesley United Methodist Church in South Plainfield.

Barbara graduated from Wells College in Aurora, NY in 1956 with a B.A. in Biology and entered the workforce that same year with the Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation.  In 1980, Barbara exited the workforce as an employee of Johnson & Johnson.

As a lifelong member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Ms. Harris was instrumental in a number of church committees, including chairing the Parsonage Committee which oversaw the design and building of the parsonage and serving many years on the Trustees. She was honored with title of Emeritus Trustee.

She volunteered in numerous professional organizations and served on several boards. (Notably President of the United Methodist Foundation NNJ Conference; Board of United Methodist Communities; Trustee of the Harris Brothers Foundation of the former Harris Brothers Steel Co. in South Plainfield, Trustee of Wesley UMC, and the First National Bank of Central Jersey advisory board.)

Predeceased by her parents, Walter Irwin and Mable Louise Harris and her brother, George Walter Harris, Barbara is survived by extended relatives of the Harris family.

Barbara will be laid to rest in the Harris family plot at Hillside Cemetery, Scotch Plains on Thursday, June 22, 2023.

A memorial service to celebrate Barbara’s life will be held at a later date at Wesley United Methodist Church, South Plainfield.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the McCriskin – Gustafson Home For Funerals 2425 Plainfield Ave. South Plainfield, NJ 07080.