Rose Ann Harris Obituary and McLaren Park gathering of remembrance - July 29th 4-6pm
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Linda Stark Litehiser
Jul 12, 2024, 11:53:30 AM (11 days ago) Jul 12
to McLaren Park Collaborative, Help McLaren Park, New Mission Terrace Improvement Association, Karen Babbitt
Hi, Everyone....we wanted to send along the information that has been promised. Below is the obituary that appeared in an edition of the SF Chronicle some weeks ago, written by her niece, Laurel. We also wanted to include an invitation to Remember Rose Ann, with stories and remembrances in the park she loved so much. Rose Ann spent a lot of her life around McLaren Park. She often talked about riding horses in the park and then going home to her house in Visitacion Valley for lunch-while tying up the house outside! (It was a more casual time). We know a lot of you knew her, miss her and would love to gather to talk about your shared memories. This is not an official "memorial /service" --she didn't want that, but she did love to see people come together enjoying the park and the south side neighborhoods.
So...if you can drop by--please come to Glen Eagles Golf Course and meet up simply AS FRIENDS OF ROSE ANN
WHEN: Monday, July 29th 4-6pm
WHERE: Glen Eagles Golf Club. McLaren Park (plenty of parking and transit)
WHAT: People sharing stories, laughs & smiles--Definitely not "a pity party". Share some photos if you like. We will meet on the deck of the club house (weather permitting) and inside if the fog is being a bit too chill.
FOOD AND BEVERAGES: There will be a "No Host" bar at the club house--all types of both alcoholic drinks, sodas, and waters, We will also provide some " light snacks" . Rose Ann, always brought her "candy dish" to all our meetings and events. If you want to bring anything to share, that is appreciated. Food needs to be prepackaged due to the clubs' health permit.
We want to thank Tom Hsieh for making the club house available to us for an extended time. Do remember to tip your bartender! We will take or trash home with us too--"Gotta keep it Green!" .
Hope you can drop by and toast this beautiful lady who had such an impact on so many...feel free to share this invite with others. Note: people who are not part of the McLaren Park Collaborative Google Group might not be able to "reply" to this message, but they can cut and paste the information. Everyone is welcome!
Rose Ann Harris Obituary
Published by Legacy Remembers on Jun. 22, 2024. (Composed by her niece Laurel)
Rose Ann Harris (1935 - 2024)
Rose Ann Harris (nee Drum) died on June 19, 2024 at the age of 88. Rose Ann, born in 1935 in what was then known as San Francisco Hospital, was a proud and lifelong resident of the City. Born to parents of recent immigrant origin (Finnish on the mother's side and Irish on the father's), she was raised in the Mission District, baptized at Mission Dolores, and graduated from Mission High School. While her early years were marked by challenging family and economic conditions, she cherished many childhood memories, including hiking sand dunes to get to Ocean Beach, Saturday and Sunday matinees at the Lyceum Theatre, and long days at Playland-at-the-Beach.
She began working while still in high school as a clerk at Metropolitan Life. After graduating high school, she began a long career as a waitress at many popular San Francisco eateries, including Zim's Restaurant, "It's It" at Playland, the original Mel's Drive-In, El Bandito (where she was known as the "Gringo Gal"), Tortola Tamale Café, and PJ's Oyster Bed. Her professionalism coupled with her charm and pluck won her countless loyal customers and garnered an honorable mention in news publications, including a cherished mention in Herb Caen's column.
Rose Ann, a fervent lover of all things 'cat,' advocated fiercely for felines, big and small, feral and domestic. She spent countless hours and resources advocating for their welfare. And she also spent a lifetime collecting cat art, cat figurines, cat clothes (pretty much everything she owned had a cat on it), rightfully earning her the sobriquet "Cat Lady."
In 1989 she moved to the Excelsior District. Following her retirement, she embarked on the next - and as she said, "favorite" - chapter of life; she became a tireless and celebrated community volunteer, advocate, and activist. Always ready to step in when and where she was needed, she volunteered countless hours for many community and neighborhood groups in the Excelsior, including Excelsior District Improvement Association, Excelsior Action Group, Neighborhood Emergency Response Team, and the McLaren Park Collaborative. In recognition of all her contributions to the community, she received several awards, including in 2015 the Neighborhood Empowerment Network Lifetime Achievement Award, which was recognized by both the California Senate and Assembly, and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She received three separate certificates of recognition by the California State Assembly for her outstanding and dedicated community service and leadership. And to the delight of her supporters, in recognition of her advocacy for the Excelsior, the City and County of San Francisco declared October 28, 2015 to be "Rose Ann Harris Day."
In addition to her public advocacy and volunteer work, every year Rose Ann hosted a grand Halloween extravaganza in her front yard, which she personally decked out with ghosts, goblins, bats, and cobwebs. This annual event was enjoyed by generations of neighborhood children with attendance in the hundreds annually. She estimated that over 3,500 children had attended the Halloween party over the years. Young parents who accompanied their kids fondly recalled their own childhood memories of this event, a testament to Rose Ann's lasting impact on her neighborhood.
Rose Ann was truly one of a kind. Thoughtful, generous, passionate, fiercely loyal and tireless.
She leaves behind a sister, nieces, nephews, friends, and above all, her beloved Excelsior community, which loved, appreciated, and supported her to the end.
At Rose Ann's request, no services will be held. There would be no better way to honor her memory than to "just be nice to each other," a rule by which she lived.
Rose Ann Harris (nee Drum) died on June 19, 2024 at the age of 88. Rose Ann, born in 1935 in what was then known as San Francisco Hospital, was a proud and lifelong resident of the City. Born to parents of recent immigrant origin (Finnish on the mother's side and Irish on the father's), she was raised in the Mission District, baptized at Mission Dolores, and graduated from Mission High School. While her early years were marked by challenging family and economic conditions, she cherished many childhood memories, including hiking sand dunes to get to Ocean Beach, Saturday and Sunday matinees at the Lyceum Theatre, and long days at Playland-at-the-Beach.
She began working while still in high school as a clerk at Metropolitan Life. After graduating high school, she began a long career as a waitress at many popular San Francisco eateries, including Zim's Restaurant, "It's It" at Playland, the original Mel's Drive-In, El Bandito (where she was known as the "Gringo Gal"), Tortola Tamale Café, and PJ's Oyster Bed. Her professionalism coupled with her charm and pluck won her countless loyal customers and garnered an honorable mention in news publications, including a cherished mention in Herb Caen's column.
Rose Ann, a fervent lover of all things 'cat,' advocated fiercely for felines, big and small, feral and domestic. She spent countless hours and resources advocating for their welfare. And she also spent a lifetime collecting cat art, cat figurines, cat clothes (pretty much everything she owned had a cat on it), rightfully earning her the sobriquet "Cat Lady."
In 1989 she moved to the Excelsior District. Following her retirement, she embarked on the next - and as she said, "favorite" - chapter of life; she became a tireless and celebrated community volunteer, advocate, and activist. Always ready to step in when and where she was needed, she volunteered countless hours for many community and neighborhood groups in the Excelsior, including Excelsior District Improvement Association, Excelsior Action Group, Neighborhood Emergency Response Team, and the McLaren Park Collaborative. In recognition of all her contributions to the community, she received several awards, including in 2015 the Neighborhood Empowerment Network Lifetime Achievement Award, which was recognized by both the California Senate and Assembly, and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She received three separate certificates of recognition by the California State Assembly for her outstanding and dedicated community service and leadership. And to the delight of her supporters, in recognition of her advocacy for the Excelsior, the City and County of San Francisco declared October 28, 2015 to be "Rose Ann Harris Day."
In addition to her public advocacy and volunteer work, every year Rose Ann hosted a grand Halloween extravaganza in her front yard, which she personally decked out with ghosts, goblins, bats, and cobwebs. This annual event was enjoyed by generations of neighborhood children with attendance in the hundreds annually. She estimated that over 3,500 children had attended the Halloween party over the years. Young parents who accompanied their kids fondly recalled their own childhood memories of this event, a testament to Rose Ann's lasting impact on her neighborhood.
Rose Ann was truly one of a kind. Thoughtful, generous, passionate, fiercely loyal and tireless.
She leaves behind a sister, nieces, nephews, friends, and above all, her beloved Excelsior community, which loved, appreciated, and supported her to the end.
At Rose Ann's request, no services will be held. There would be no better way to honor her memory than to "just be nice to each other," a rule by which she lived.
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