Tuftonboro, NH

Wanda Mary Harris Obituary

Wanda M. Harris died on Monday, November 20, 2017 in the comfort of her home at the age of 65 after a 16-year battle with breast cancer.    She was born in Latrobe, PA to Robert Harris and Frances Dickey Harris.

Wanda began a lifetime of service and teaching at age 20 as a Registered Nurse working in New York City area hospitals specializing in critical care and obstetrics.  To augment her work as a nurse, she trained as a massage therapist at the Swedish Massage Institute in NYC.  She had a very busy massage practice in Westchester County, NY prior to moving to Wolfeboro in 1991.  She continued her massage practice in Wolfeboro and joined the team at the VNA/Hospice of Southern Carroll County first as a nurse, then as the bereavement counselor and ultimately as the director of the Hospice program.   The hospice program was most important to her.  Helping local families through the end of life by teaching the hospice philosophy was her ultimate life goal.  She pursued her dream to become a mental health counselor and graduated in 1994 with her MA in counseling from Antioch College in Keene, NH.  She opened a private practice and continued training to become certified in EMDR therapy.  We often joked that she had so many credentials, there was no room for all the initials after her name on the nameplate.  Wanda served on the Hospice Board for the State of NH, the Board of Directors of A.C.T.S, and the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Wolfeboro Community Bandstand.

In 1990 Wanda met the love of her life, Diane Guerriere.  Their commitment to each other spanned 27 years and included a Civil Union and ultimately marriage.  They enjoyed game nights and dining with wonderful friends, rooting for the Red Sox, hiking, fishing, reading and spending long leisurely hours on their boat on Lake Winnipesaukee.  A favorite summer time event was attending Saturday night concerts in Cate Park. 

Wanda will be remembered by her many nieces and nephews as a caring and fun-loving Aunt who was never too tired to play board games or shoot hoops.   In addition to her wife, Diane, Wanda leaves her brother, Bob and his husband Ken Travers, her brothers-in-law John Guerriere and fiancé Deb KillKelly, Michael Guerriere and wife Barbara, David Guerriere, and sister-in-law Marilyn Dayton and husband Tim.  She was predeceased by her brother, Jonathan Harris.

Calling hours will be Friday, December 8, 2017 from 5-7 at Lord Funeral Home, Wolfeboro, NH.    In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Central New Hampshire VNA & Hospice, 780 N. Main St., Laconia, NH  03246 or Friends of the Wolfeboro Community Bandstand, P.O. Box 2055, Wolfeboro, NH  03894.

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