Obituary: Mary Elizabeth Spencer Harris, 92
Mary Elizabeth Spencer Harris, 92, died Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. She was born April 2, 1932. She was the oldest daughter of Thomas and Mildred Spencer.
On May 10, 1952 Mary married David Leon Harris, also a Bowling Green native who entered heaven in 1990.
She and her husband settled in Bardstown in the fall of 1963. Immediately, her passion for community service came alive and lived on for more than 60 years. She served Bardstown and North Central Kentucky in a number of ways including a Cub Scout den mother; founder and president of Bardstown Welcome Wagon holding both District and State Chairmanships; past president of Bardstown PTA, an original member on the launch team for the Nelson County Public Library; a charter member of the New Life Center; and many more.
She is perhaps most known for her 50-plus year career in real estate and property appraising. In 1971, she became the first female real estate broker in North Central Kentucky and a certified real estate appraiser in 1992. She was an active member of the Old Kentucky Home Board of Realtors and served five years as Housing and Urban development (HUD) area manager broker. In 2007, she was inducted into the Bardstown-Nelson County Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame in acknowledgment of her community contributions.
Even more important, she was known as a loving, family-focused matriarch. She is referred to as “Mom Mary” by hundreds of family and friends literally around the world. In her own words, she often said, “I am only ONE person and cannot do everything; however, I can do something. And with the help of the good God, I will do that something willingly to the best of my ability.”
She is survived by one daughter, Bambi Harris of Bardstown; one son, Jim Harris of Pensacola, Fla.; one sister, Edna Spencer Tunks of Bowling Green; one brother, Kenneth Spencer of Hillsville, Va.; one grandson, Tom Harris of Bardstown; and dozens of cousins, nieces and nephews.
The celebration of her life is 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at the Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home.
Visitation is noon to 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at the funeral home. The family graveside service is Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Bowling Green.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests expressions of sympathy be made in the form of contributions to Bardstown Baptist Church.
The Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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