Elizabeth “Bette” Harms

November 9, 1922-August 22, 2022
One hundred years and it still wasn’t long enough for those of us that love you.

Elizabeth “Bette” Harms, 99, was born November 9, 1922, to Stephen Koegel and Elizabeth Koegel in Syracuse, New York. She took pride in always working and loving hard.

Bette was preceded in death by the love of her life and husband, John W. Harms and her brother Stephen Koegel.

She is survived by her “sister”, Diane (Bob) Wintermier, and children; Robert (Linda) Smart, David (Kate) Smart, Carolyn Huddleston, Jane (Don) Bos, Deborah Duger, and Pam (Dennis) Redmond. She is also survived by seventeen grandchildren, several great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, and countless bonus family she acquired through love over the decades. Her family was blessed to have had five generations alive to adore Bette while she was here.

As a young woman, Bette worked three jobs to be able to install indoor plumbing in her grandparents’ home and continued to work hard until retirement and beyond into her seventies. Throughout her life, she held many positions through her work and was proud of winning the chance to attend a prestigious beautician course in New York City.

Bette, lovingly called BumBum by her great grandchildren, was a colorful and fun woman who was kind, generous, thoughtful, feisty, determined, sassy, fiercely loyal, fashionable, sweetly naive, intelligent, forward-thinking, devout, loving, and family-oriented. She loved a good bargain and shopping adventures, playing cards and games, and dancing with her husband, which she did exceptionally well. She was a master seamstress and loved ones were often gifted with her meticulously crafted crochet scarves, hats, blankets, baby sweaters and more. She never met a stranger and loved people dearly. Bette was a legend who left behind a beautiful legacy.

Elizabeth “Bette” Harms’ funeral will be held on September 24th, 2022 at 1pm at St. Francis of Assisi in Raleigh, NC.

For those who would like to attend but are not able to be here, please use the following link for the live stream:
https://boxcars.tv/view/funeral-liturgy-for-Elizabeth-harms-aqpqliehphrisfhlah2i

Her family kindly asks that donations be made to Transitions Life Care in her name in lieu of flowers.

Transitions Life Care
ATTN: Philanthropy Dept.
250 Hospice Circle
Raleigh, NC 27607