Etta Mae Harris

Etta Mae Harris (White) passed away peacefully on June 25, 2026, in Columbia, MD. She was born in Tarboro, NC, to the late Margaret and Ernest White, Sr. on April 30, 1942. While growing up in Tarboro, Etta also spent a lot of time with her godmother, the late Lucille “Ma” Baker, with whom she attended church faithfully and began a life devoted to being of service to God and to others. 

Etta attended Theodore Roosevelt High School (Washington, DC) and graduated in 1960 while living with her uncle, the late Willis Worsley. After high school, she returned to Rocky Mount, NC, where she met and married the late William Harris and started a family before moving back to the Washington, DC area. 

Etta worked for the U.S. Department of Energy as a Statistical Assistant (among other jobs) and retired after more than 20 years. After retirement, she worked as a Nurse’s Aide at several DC hospitals, including Sibley Memorial Hospital, where she occasionally interacted with “celebrities.” She also loved working with children and received a Teachers Aide diploma in 1995. 

Per Etta’s wishes, there will be no services, but we will remember her for her love and devotion to God, her family, and friends. She is survived by her 3 children, Carol Nathan, Sonya Harris, and Darrell Harris (DC); her 2 grandchildren, Sonasia Harris and Khalid Harris (DC); her sister Senora White and niece Sheryl White (NYC); her niece Norma Jean Alston, and nephews Ernest Lee White and David White (NC); and a host of other loving relatives and friends. The family would like to thank everyone who cared for and supported her during her final days.