Marie Sumrall Harshbarger passed away peacefully at age 93 on June 19th, 2020 surrounded by family and loved ones. Marie was born on February 9th, 1927 to Joseph Wheeler Sumrall and Edna Agnes Pilson in Pineville MS, the first of four children.
In the fourth grade at Pineville Elementary, she met Leo Harshbarger and knew they were meant to be together. The two married in 1944 and began a family that grew to include nine children. As the children grew up, Marie helped with the family finances, working at her uncle’s general store and serving as the postmistress of the Cuevas post office. Later she worked at Dauro’s Florist and for Life of Georgia Insurance where she received awards as top salesperson.
Marie’s family was always first priority and she was active in their school events, Girl Scouts, and church. She was a self-taught expert seamstress and created a wide range of clothing for the family, including wedding dresses, Mardi Gras costumes and coats. After the children were on their own, she volunteered at St Thomas Church, Gulfport Memorial and Garden Park Hospitals providing many hours of support.
Marie loved to travel, making trips to Europe, the Mideast, Alaska, and Ireland in addition to locations all across the United States.
She will always be remembered as the ‘glue’ that held the family together, always there to listen to and love each and every one of the scores of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Marie is preceded in death by her parents, three siblings, husband Leo, daughter Mary Kim Ellis and grandson Joseph William Watts, great grandson Josiah Hilderbrand, great grandson Bentley Lewis Wiles.
Marie is survived by her children; Gloria Gene (Bill) Hilderbrand, Cheryl Ann (Jerry) York, Gladys Lynn Roberts, Maenell (Tim) Kariker, Leo Boyd (Veronica)Harshbarger, Leona Beth (Wayne) May, Mark Allen (Kathy)Harshbarger, Myra Kris (Greg) Johnson. Also; Twenty-eight grandchildren, a multitude of great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, June 23, 2020, where friends may visit one hour prior to the Mass all at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Long Beach, MS. Interment will be at Gulf Pines Memorial Gardens in Long Beach following the Mass.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to one of these charities; Society of St. Vincent de Paul; Joseph’s Home-15060 Dedeaux Road, Gulfport, MS 39503, or the Salvation Army.
Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, 15th Street in Gulfport, is honored to serve this family.