Rest in Peace, dear cousin Paulette Harris

Pictured above at left is Ruby "Paulette" and at right Ruth "Pauleen" Harris. The twin girls were born 10 June 1948 to my mother's sister Edna "Pearl" (Flanders) and her husband George Harris in Stafford, Stafford, Kansas. 

L to R: Pauleen and Paulette Harris

I was able to get acquainted with my cousins as a child (1947-1959), just to the age of 12 as my twin brother and I visited our mother and step-father monthly at the home in Stafford, KS of our maternal grandparents, Milo and Nannie (Becker) Flanders. Our monthly visits ended, however, when we reached the age of 12, so my contact with my cousins ended at that time also. It's unfortunate that we became "disconnected" as we grew to adulthood.

Ruth Pauleen Harris

My cousin Pauleen passed away 24 Oct, 2014 in Topeka, KS. As her estate was settled, I received her vast photo collection with the agreement that I would scan, share and preserve the old family photos. I gratefully upheld my part of the agreement as I scanned the photos, saved them to CDs, uploaded and filed them on Dropbox, sharing the 1,500 photos with cousins, sisters, and nieces this past summer. 

I received word on Wednesday, January 6, of the passing of (Ruby) "Paulette", who was named after my mother, Ruby Flanders. 

I didn't know Paulette well throughout my adult life, but our mutual cousin Nancy shares this with me: "Paulette was sweet, caring, and complicated. She embroidered. She had been dealt a difficult hand in life but she did the best she could with what she was given. She loved to play card games, do puzzles, and play board games. She watched soap operas and loved all her extended family, siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, niece and nephews. God sent us a special gift in Paulette!"

Early in her childhood, Paulette was stricken with measles, the case which was accompanied by a very high fever that left Paulette with epilepsy and mental and physical limitations. She was blessed throughout her adult life to be cared for by her devoted and loving twin sister Pauleen. 

Pauleen (1948-2014), standing, and
Paulette (1948-2016) Harris

Rest in Peace, dear cousin Paulette. You will be missed, as you are dearly loved by your family. 

Let me share some of the treasured photos of Pauleen and Paulette from their own valued collection.

Pauleen and Paulette Harris (left to right)

George Harris is proud of his children (left to right)
Sheryll Lou, Pauleen, Paulette, and Duane, as he poses
with them in front of our grandparents'
(Milo and Nannie Flanders) home in Stafford, KS

Pauleen and Paulette Harris (left to right)
pictured above and below

Paulette and Pauleen Harris on vacation in Virginia,
the home state of their father, George Harris

Paulette and Pauleen in the front yard of the
home in Stafford, KS

Left to right: Sheryll Lou Harris, Duane
Harris, twins Pauleen and Paulette Harris,
twins Dennis and Becky Margheim
and cousin Rita Diane Flanders,
(seated on the porch) at the home of my
paternal grandparents, John and Mollie
(Koleber) Margheim at
114 E. 6th St, Hoisington, Barton, Kansas.