Obituary for Anita Stephanie Harris
J.B. Jenkins will not accept flowers for this service
Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Anita Stephanie Davis Harris was born the third child of William and Earnestine Davis on May 30, 1959, in Saint Louis, Missouri. Her parents preceded her in death. At a very early age, she demonstrated respect for authority, loved to attend school, and was 100 percent committed to everything she did. Whether it was practicing to become the neighborhood hula hoop champ or fast jumping double-dutch queen or mastering how to play her Flutophone in 3rd grade at Dunbar Elementary School, she was all in. (By the way, she still has the Flutophone.) One of the ways she showed her respect for authority was to wait for her brother, William, who was the captain of the crossing guards, to walk home from school with him while proudly carrying his books.
During these early years she also acquired a taste for junk food, but not from her parents! French Fries, pretzels, popcorn, Good “N Plenty candy, mixed Spanish peanuts and jelly beans, Dad’s oatmeal cookies and/or black licorice were her favorites--even into adulthood. Vernors Ginger Ale became a staple later in life. For example, Anita always established the “ground rules’ for eating popcorn with her siblings while they watched wrestling. She didn’t like them taking handfuls of popcorn from the bowl at one time, so she made them eat one kernel at a time to make it last longer.
Anita was an easy child to raise: she was an early riser, very obedient and never received a whipping from her parents…not even when she and the next door neighbor were experimenting with a pair of non-electric hair clippers. The neighbor squeezed the handles and “walked” the clippers through a patch of her hair. When it was Anita’s turn, she cut off an entire pigtail and threw it under the bed. Needless to say, her mother started the first pigtail comb-over until her hair grew back.
When Anita was about to enter high school, because of her academic achievements, she was recommended to participate in the cooperative education program, which would allow her to attend general high school classes at Vashon High School for half of the school day and O’Fallon Technical High School with a focus on secretarial skills for the other half. Anita learned to type over 40 words per minute on a manual typewriter, became proficient at Gregg Shorthand (she treated the pastor’s sermon as dictation when bored during church), and discovered she loved accounting. For example, she made a budget when she got her first job at age 16 and continued to do so through adulthood.
High school was a breeze for Anita, and she was inducted into the National Honor Society during her junior year in 1977. Because of this accomplishment, she became a participant in the Upward Bound program. This program allowed her to jumpstart her college career while in high school. She took basic college freshman courses in the evening at Saint Louis Community College at Forest Park. By the time she actually began her freshman year she had completed two to three courses in her curriculum.
In 1977, at the start of her senior year of high school, she was hired as a student intern at the Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center. They admired her so much, she worked half days during her senior year, and full time for summers 1978 and 1979.
When Anita began to consider where to attend college, Oakwood College (now University) in Huntsville, Alabama, was always her only choice. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Personal Savior and was baptized at the age of 14, so the decision came naturally to attend an HBCU where she could grow spiritually with other Seventh-Day Adventist young people who were “entering to learn and departing to serve.”
In 1979, while in her sophomore year at Oakwood, Anita married, however, it ended in divorce. No children were born to this union.
Shortly thereafter, Anita took hiatus from her education and worked full time at the college, residing in Huntsville, Alabama. Because her first job at Oakwood was in the Business Office working with the Vice President of Finance, word spread quickly of a job opening in Student Accounts working directly with the students as they financially cleared their tuition, fees and balances owed. The students on campus would request to work with her specifically because of her professionalism, knowledge, and kindness. A lot of them would come by just to say hello; one of them became a lifelong friend.
While working at Oakwood, Anita learned of an employee benefit that would allow her to take free courses toward her degree each year until she met the requirements for graduation. In 1987, she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and a minor in Business Administration—also debt free. As she began to apply for jobs outside of Huntsville, she was hired in 1988 as an Auditor for Customs & Border Protection. She forged her own career path, was transferred to Glynco, Georgia to be an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and allowed her work ethic along with her efficiency to become her voice, when she accepted a position at Customs headquarters in Washington, DC. Along the way, there were challenges due to more responsibility, however, she continued to move forward. She also realized part of a family of people she loved and enjoyed working with.
Some of the highlights of her career were from work assignments where she literally traveled the world: Russia, Egypt, El Salvador, Brussels, Mexico, several islands in the Caribbean and, of course, the U.S. Her favorites were seeing the Pyramids on camel-back, the beautiful architecture in Russia and eating authentic Mexican food. In 2023, Anita had worked over 35 years at Customs and Border Protection. Whenever anyone asked her if she liked her job, her reply was always “I LOVE MY JOB!”
Between 1999 and 2000, after her move to the DMV area, she was anxious to find a church. She visited lots of churches until she found her “home” where it felt like family: Bladensburg SDA Church. Anita’s roots spread deeply into the soil of service for church and community, and she loved every minute of it. Positions she has served in are Assistant Usher Leader, Sabbath School Superintendent, Women’s Ministry Leader, Treasury Department: Budget Approval Committee, Member-Counting Team, Member-Finance Committee, Ministry Leadership Team, Vacation Bible School-Youth Class Teacher, Community Services and Homeless Ministries Outreach Worker, Financial Peace Coordinator, and financial counselor to members.
In January 2023, Anita began her cancer fight, and asked, “How did I get here?” There were times when her faith was tested, and it seemed nothing was going right. However, she remained steadfast in her belief that God was going to come through. Everyday was a new opportunity for healing, and her family and “crew” kept her uplifted and positive until the end. On Thursday, March 21, 2024, Anita passed away peacefully surrounded by family, dedicated friends, and Pastor Brenda Billingy.
Anita Stephanie Davis Harris is survived by two brothers: William (Rena) Davis and James Davis; two sisters: Felicia Davis and Deborah Davis; sister-in-law – Edna Davis; godchildren – Jade Jones, Kelvin McLemore, Jordan and Joelle Starling, O’Lori Weston; nephews – Chauncey Davis, Antonio Ellis, Joshua Aubuchon, Cortez Wafford Jr., Legend Ellis, Jimeni Walker; nieces – Eris Davis, Sharena Davis, Rischauna Davis, Menasia Davis, Skye Ellis, Tranyria Davis, Naiima Scott, Noa Scott, Shaelynn Muzilla, Christian Davis, Chozyn Wafford; a host of cousins and friends. She is also survived by special people that are now family: life partner and special friend – Raymond Tyndle, Sharon Starling, Oralyn Weston, Lashandria and Courtney Turnbull, Al Queen, Ed Bowles, Charles and Marilyn Thorpe, Pelbea Griffin-Jones, Wanda McLemore, Pastor Brenda Billingy, Nita Minnifield, and Carmen Hunt.
Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Anita Stephanie Davis Harris was born the third child of William and Earnestine Davis on May 30, 1959, in Saint Louis, Missouri. Her parents preceded her in death. At a very early age, she demonstrated respect for authority, loved to attend school, and was 100 percent committed to everything she did. Whether it was practicing to become the neighborhood hula hoop champ or fast jumping double-dutch queen or mastering how to play her Flutophone in 3rd grade at Dunbar Elementary School, she was all in. (By the way, she still has the Flutophone.) One of the ways she showed her respect for authority was to wait for her brother, William, who was the captain of the crossing guards, to walk home from school with him while proudly carrying his books.
During these early years she also acquired a taste for junk food, but not from her parents! French Fries, pretzels, popcorn, Good “N Plenty candy, mixed Spanish peanuts and jelly beans, Dad’s oatmeal cookies and/or black licorice were her favorites--even into adulthood. Vernors Ginger Ale became a staple later in life. For example, Anita always established the “ground rules’ for eating popcorn with her siblings while they watched wrestling. She didn’t like them taking handfuls of popcorn from the bowl at one time, so she made them eat one kernel at a time to make it last longer.
Anita was an easy child to raise: she was an early riser, very obedient and never received a whipping from her parents…not even when she and the next door neighbor were experimenting with a pair of non-electric hair clippers. The neighbor squeezed the handles and “walked” the clippers through a patch of her hair. When it was Anita’s turn, she cut off an entire pigtail and threw it under the bed. Needless to say, her mother started the first pigtail comb-over until her hair grew back.
When Anita was about to enter high school, because of her academic achievements, she was recommended to participate in the cooperative education program, which would allow her to attend general high school classes at Vashon High School for half of the school day and O’Fallon Technical High School with a focus on secretarial skills for the other half. Anita learned to type over 40 words per minute on a manual typewriter, became proficient at Gregg Shorthand (she treated the pastor’s sermon as dictation when bored during church), and discovered she loved accounting. For example, she made a budget when she got her first job at age 16 and continued to do so through adulthood.
High school was a breeze for Anita, and she was inducted into the National Honor Society during her junior year in 1977. Because of this accomplishment, she became a participant in the Upward Bound program. This program allowed her to jumpstart her college career while in high school. She took basic college freshman courses in the evening at Saint Louis Community College at Forest Park. By the time she actually began her freshman year she had completed two to three courses in her curriculum.
In 1977, at the start of her senior year of high school, she was hired as a student intern at the Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center. They admired her so much, she worked half days during her senior year, and full time for summers 1978 and 1979.
When Anita began to consider where to attend college, Oakwood College (now University) in Huntsville, Alabama, was always her only choice. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Personal Savior and was baptized at the age of 14, so the decision came naturally to attend an HBCU where she could grow spiritually with other Seventh-Day Adventist young people who were “entering to learn and departing to serve.”
In 1979, while in her sophomore year at Oakwood, Anita married, however, it ended in divorce. No children were born to this union.
Shortly thereafter, Anita took hiatus from her education and worked full time at the college, residing in Huntsville, Alabama. Because her first job at Oakwood was in the Business Office working with the Vice President of Finance, word spread quickly of a job opening in Student Accounts working directly with the students as they financially cleared their tuition, fees and balances owed. The students on campus would request to work with her specifically because of her professionalism, knowledge, and kindness. A lot of them would come by just to say hello; one of them became a lifelong friend.
While working at Oakwood, Anita learned of an employee benefit that would allow her to take free courses toward her degree each year until she met the requirements for graduation. In 1987, she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and a minor in Business Administration—also debt free. As she began to apply for jobs outside of Huntsville, she was hired in 1988 as an Auditor for Customs & Border Protection. She forged her own career path, was transferred to Glynco, Georgia to be an instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and allowed her work ethic along with her efficiency to become her voice, when she accepted a position at Customs headquarters in Washington, DC. Along the way, there were challenges due to more responsibility, however, she continued to move forward. She also realized part of a family of people she loved and enjoyed working with.
Some of the highlights of her career were from work assignments where she literally traveled the world: Russia, Egypt, El Salvador, Brussels, Mexico, several islands in the Caribbean and, of course, the U.S. Her favorites were seeing the Pyramids on camel-back, the beautiful architecture in Russia and eating authentic Mexican food. In 2023, Anita had worked over 35 years at Customs and Border Protection. Whenever anyone asked her if she liked her job, her reply was always “I LOVE MY JOB!”
Between 1999 and 2000, after her move to the DMV area, she was anxious to find a church. She visited lots of churches until she found her “home” where it felt like family: Bladensburg SDA Church. Anita’s roots spread deeply into the soil of service for church and community, and she loved every minute of it. Positions she has served in are Assistant Usher Leader, Sabbath School Superintendent, Women’s Ministry Leader, Treasury Department: Budget Approval Committee, Member-Counting Team, Member-Finance Committee, Ministry Leadership Team, Vacation Bible School-Youth Class Teacher, Community Services and Homeless Ministries Outreach Worker, Financial Peace Coordinator, and financial counselor to members.
In January 2023, Anita began her cancer fight, and asked, “How did I get here?” There were times when her faith was tested, and it seemed nothing was going right. However, she remained steadfast in her belief that God was going to come through. Everyday was a new opportunity for healing, and her family and “crew” kept her uplifted and positive until the end. On Thursday, March 21, 2024, Anita passed away peacefully surrounded by family, dedicated friends, and Pastor Brenda Billingy.
Anita Stephanie Davis Harris is survived by two brothers: William (Rena) Davis and James Davis; two sisters: Felicia Davis and Deborah Davis; sister-in-law – Edna Davis; godchildren – Jade Jones, Kelvin McLemore, Jordan and Joelle Starling, O’Lori Weston; nephews – Chauncey Davis, Antonio Ellis, Joshua Aubuchon, Cortez Wafford Jr., Legend Ellis, Jimeni Walker; nieces – Eris Davis, Sharena Davis, Rischauna Davis, Menasia Davis, Skye Ellis, Tranyria Davis, Naiima Scott, Noa Scott, Shaelynn Muzilla, Christian Davis, Chozyn Wafford; a host of cousins and friends. She is also survived by special people that are now family: life partner and special friend – Raymond Tyndle, Sharon Starling, Oralyn Weston, Lashandria and Courtney Turnbull, Al Queen, Ed Bowles, Charles and Marilyn Thorpe, Pelbea Griffin-Jones, Wanda McLemore, Pastor Brenda Billingy, Nita Minnifield, and Carmen Hunt.