Dolores Jeanette (Wilson) Harris was born on March 16, 1935 to the late Helen J. (Sherwood) Wilson and Bennett Joshua Wilson, in Boston, Massachusetts. She was the grand-daughter of the late Walter and Carrie Sherwood. She was the wife of the late Reginald Harris and the mother of Edward E. and Walter B. Washington. She and her husband also cared for her nieces; Yvonne M. Shaw, Janene L. Mendalka and Jeanice L. Banks and her nephew Joshua A. McKay. She was the grandmother of Nicholas S. Lauren E. and Ellen E. Washington and five great-grandchildren. Dolores is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Harris was baptized into the Shiloh Baptist Church in 1946 and her continued service to the church included Circle Leader, President of the Woman's Federation, Chair of the White Cross, Member of the Gospel Choir and many other duties. She also served as President of Church Women United of Medford.
Included among her civic duties was Board Member of the West Medford Community Center, active in the Civil Rights Movements, “de-seg” of Medford Public Schools, Member of the Magnet School Committee and member of the 1976 Bi-Centennial Committee. She also served on the Medford Public Library Board of Trustees from 1975-1990, where she served as Secretary and Chairperson. She was also a Girl Scout Leader and became Area President of that organization.
Mrs. Harris retired from Tufts University in 1998 after working for 22 years, where she was the recipient of the Student Affairs Community Service Award in 1992 and the Science Faculty/Staff Multicultural Service Award in 1998.
While employed at Tufts, Mrs. Harris attended many classes and made many lasting friendships. Mrs. Harris felt that her greatest contribution to the world was her children and her love for children. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.
Her Memorial Service will be celebrated in the West Medford Baptist Church, 59 Boston Avenue, Medford on Saturday, November 21, 2015, at 11 AM. Relatives and friends are most welcome to attend. For additional information, please visit, www.magliozzifuneralhome.com.