Teresa Rebecca Harris

Teresa Rebecca Harris (Tee), was born at Cook County Hospital on June 2, 1956.  She was raised in Chicago, IL, by her Mother Elois Luckett and Step Father Earl Luckett. After her mother’s illness at a young age, her grandmother Vertilla Hughes became her guardian. Tee is a proud student of the Chicago Public Schools, where she attended Burke Elementary, Vincennes Middle School and Lindblom High School. She also attended courses at Olive Harvey College where she took interest in Early Childhood Development. She is also Certified in Prison Ministry. However, the most thorough part of her education came from being self-taught and being the mother of five amazing children. She remained an avid reader and researcher throughout her life.

From her early childhood, she loved being in her “Father’s House”.  She was also a generous contributor at whatever congregation she found herself welcomed. Tee was a Beautiful, Classy woman, prettiest lady in the room. She was known to be fashionably present in her favorite leopard attire. Tee was a beautiful person with a beautiful soul. Beyond that, she volunteered to work on the Prayer Line, providing many callers, the peace and comfort they were desperately seeking. She was a long-time member of Grace Church. However, if you knew her and you had to Eulogize someone in your family, Sister Teresa would be at your service.  She has preached many funerals, comforted many souls and anointed many endeavors.

Tee was also very engaged in her community, you could always find her supporting and encouraging the young people in her neighborhood.  Everyone on the block knew her and they respected her with the same love you would extend to any “Queen Mother”.  The youth in her midst always trusted that she was there for them and she served as wise counsel and protective shelter on many occasions. If she couldn’t fix it with prayer, she would ask to “lay hands on you” or to apply the “anointed oil” she always carried in her purse. Either way her mission was to assure that you felt Divinely Guided and Divinely Protected.

Tee’s family and extended family spent an abundance of time together with Chicago Style Stepping and Karaoke on the Top Bill. And of course, Tee was the life of the party! She always had her favorite songs and dance moves ready at the drop of a dime. And she made sure everyone there was going to have a good time while being adorned in her leopard print ensemble.

It was while Teresa was working for the Laidlaw (1st Student) Bus Company, where she was employed for over 10 years that she began to have a mysterious illness.  Doctors were never able to determine what caused her to have blackouts. Eventually she had to stop working and was therefore able to tend to the ministry of her choice.  There was the Teddy Bear Ministry, The Plant Ministry, The Prayer Line Ministry, and The Anointed Oil Ministry.  

On Saturday, February 2, 2019, in the wee hours of the morning, our Earth Angel closed her eyes, crossed her arms over her chest and went into a peaceful rest. She kept her wish to die at home in her own bed. She was preceded in death by her Mother Elois Eloise, Luckett, her Grandmother Vertilla Swan, and many other blood relatives. She leaves to mourn her younger sister Rita  Stewart  (Rute’, Vetia and Zekur): God brother Darryl Bunch; her  five children – William Harris, Teria Coy (Shawn), Kevin Harris, Echelle Harris, Matisha Lake: her Aunts Thelma H. Davis and Arsenia Rose Marshall and over 15 grandchildren including - Isaiah and Jordyn (Will), Shawn edgar and Temia (Teria), Isaiah, Jadlyn, Dejah, Karma, King and Giselle (Kevin), Elijah (Echelle), Terrell, Latrell and Marissa (Matisha) and Cheryl (Shabretta). There are a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, family and friends celebrating her journey home.

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