Betty Harris

Heaven just got a little more beautiful with the arrival of Betty Harris on Wednesday, February 4, 2015, after living a wonderful life for 97 years. Betty was a well-loved New Mexico artist, art teacher, community volunteer and dear friend to the luckiest among us. Art has been a part of Betty's life since childhood. After high school she studied at the Kansas City Art Institute and soon became a top fashion artist, drawing images of live models that were then used as advertisements in newspaper ads. It was no surprise that she would follow in the footsteps of her father, Frank Goodman, who was an artist and art editor of the Kansas City Star newspaper. Her marriage to Jim Harris in 1944 led to world travels in the Air Force. They retired here in 1968 and soon Betty's oil paintings of New Mexico landscapes and sculptures of Native American Indians became well-known, winning many awards around the country. Her work was featured at the New Mexico Arts and Crafts Festival and the Weems Artfest. There was not an art medium she didn't master. Along with her mother, Helen Goodman, she created one-of-a-kind, hand painted and decorated eggs that are now collectors' items. At the urging of her friend Jackie Fallis, Betty launched a new career of teaching oil painting, first in Jackie's Arts & Crafts Mart and then in her own home. Her classes continued until just recently, retaining some of her original students after more than 30 years. As full as Betty's life was, she found a new passion in 1983: serving the Albuquerque community through the Assistance League of Albuquerque. One of her greatest joys has been using her God-given talents alongside her friends as they make Albuquerque a better place to live. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Assistance League of Albuquerque, P.O. Box 359010, Albuquerque, NM 87176. Betty is survived by sons, Jamie Harris of Los Lunas, Vaughn Harris and Kym Couture of Salt Lake City, and Bill and Deborah Harris of Albuquerque; grandchildren, David Harris in Utah and Emily Harris in Florida; and cousins, June and Joan Short of Independence, MO, and Bill and Gerry Short of Arlington, TX. She loved her fellow members at Central United Methodist Church where she worshiped for many years. A closed casket service will be held at her church on Wednesday, February 11, 2015, 10:30 a.m., 201 University Blvd. NE. Private interment will take place at Santa Fe National Cemetery. Betty's contagious love of life and beauty will certainly be missed. Jesus said, "My Father's house has many rooms." Betty is now redecorating one of them. FRENCH - Wyoming 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400