Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Shirley L. Phillips Harman was born on July 4, 1938, in Hood River, Ore., and went to be with the Lord on Nov. 11, 2013, in Portland Ore.
After graduating from Hood River High School in the mid 1950s Shirley married Bud Harman and they began their journey together. Bud’s work took them to Northern California, where they began raising their family.
Thru the ministry of a small local Baptist church, Shirley accepted Christ as her savior and thus began her life of ministry for the Lord. We moved several times and each time we moved, she would find a new ministry to get involved in the local church. She was a Sunday school teacher, a youth counselor, a deaconess, a choir member and the list goes on. She was a very humble person and did not seek recognition; just wanted to serve the Lord.
From Northern California we moved to Seattle; from Seattle we moved to Pakistan; from Pakistan we moved to San Francisco; from San Francisco we moved to Spartanburg, S.C.; from Spartanburg we moved to Virginia Beach, Va.; and from Virginia Beach we moved finally to Portland, Ore.
Shirley loved sports. She was a big Blazer fan as well as SF 49er and SF Giants Fan. She was an excellent tennis player, golfer and high-average bowler.
She loved to read; read her Bible every day; read every book that John Grisham wrote, as well as Jan Karon.
She loved Charles Stanley, Billy Graham and Adrian Rodgers, as well as her pastors at Hinson, Michael Lawrence and Geoff Chang, and her Sunday school teacher, David Needham.
Shirley was an unbelievable cook. She was such a fussy housekeeper that one of her best friends called her “Janitor in a Drum.” A part of her life she worked outside the home; when the family needed extra money for the kids’ college she took some classes and became a medical assistant for two doctors. She also worked as a mechanical scheduler at United Airlines’ mechanical base in San Francisco.
Shirley was an amazing woman and loved by everyone who knew her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Juanita Phillips.
Shirley is survived by her brother, Jack Phillips; her husband, Bud Harman; her children, Ronald (Colleen), Randall, and Cathleen Lasater; her grandchildren, Brenton Harman, Drew Harman, Heather Bonner (Tyler), Taylor Harman, Megan Lasater and Braden Lasater; great-grandchildren, Lailah Bonner and Bryleigh Bonner; and yellow lab Emma and kitties Sammie and Gracie.
There will be a memorial service on Monday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m. at Hinson Baptist Church, 1137 S.E. 20th Ave., Portland, OR 97214; 503-232-1156.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hinson Baptist Church.
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson’s Tribute Center (Funerals, Receptions, Cremations), 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, OR 97031; 541-386-1000. Please visit andersonstributecenter.com to leave a note of condolence for family.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
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Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.