Emily Lou (Mattingly) Harris, 94, entered her heavenly life on July 11, 2023 at
Clarion Wellness and Rehabilitation Center.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM on Saturday, July 22, 2023, at
Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion.
Emily was born in Clarion, Iowa November 16, 1928 to D.O. and Nellie (Kastler)
Mattingly. She grew up on the family farm south of Clarion along with her
brother Bernard Mattingly. Emily and Bernard attended Wall Lake No.3 School
through 8th grade. Emily graduated from Clarion High School May 1946. She
attended Teachers College in Cedar Falls, IA and returned to the Clarion area to
teach at Lincoln No. 8. Emily taught all grades K-8 for two years.
Emily married Robert Harris June 19, 1948 at St. John's Catholic Church in
Clarion, IA. They moved to Alexander, IA and farmed with Bob's parents. In 1954
they moved to Ackworth, Iowa to farm. Then in 1960 they purchased their own farm
Southeast of Kanawha.
They lived there until moving to Lake Cornelia in 1976. Four children were born
to the couple: Gary, Vicki, Christi and Lori.
Emily helped Bob on the farm, kept a large garden, preserved the produce, fed
farm workers and was always there for her children. She was always prepared to
make a meal or fix coffee for anyone that stopped at the house.
Emily moved to Clarion in 2009 and lived there in her own home until she moved
to The Meadows Assisted Living Facility in 2022. In March 2023 she moved to
Clarion Wellness and Rehabilitation Center.
Family members remaining to cherish Emily's memory are her four children: Gary
of Clear Lake; Vicki (Dan) Jackson of Clear Lake; Christi (Bill) Broshar of
Kanawha; Lori Lemieux of Coventry, Connecticut; nine grandchildren; eleven
great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Merle (Jacque) Harris of Walhalla South
Carolina; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Robert; her parents; Bob's parents E.R.
& Jessie Harris; daughter-in-law Marcia Harris; son-in-law Don Lemieux;
grandchildren Michelle Lemieux and Bradley Broshar; her brother Bernard;
sisters-in-law Bethene Mattingly, Lois Johnson, Ardyce Bailey; brothers-in-law
Robert Johnson, Kenneth Bailey.
Memorials may be directed to St. Croix Hospice.