BIOGRAPHY

Mary Harris was born in Ithaca, New York, USA on 13 May 1911, to Italian immigrants Joseph Petrillose (died 1967) and Concetta DelMonto (1871–1947). She was born prematurely, weighing only 3½ pounds. Because all the baby clothes were too large, her mother kept her nestled in a shoebox lined with cotton to keep her warm. The doctor said Mary was too small to survive. She had at least six brothers: Jack D. (1896–1970), James Edward (1898–1979), John W. (1903–1999), George D. (1905–1988), Emilio Francis (1909–1971), and Anthony (1914–2010).

While living in Ithaca, she met her future husband, James Richard Harris of North Lexington, North Carolina, while they were both working at her brother’s dry-cleaning business. In August 1937, they got married and eventually had two daughters: Connie Pitcher and Dixie Billingsley. The couple later opened their own dry-cleaning shop, along with a 500-acre dairy farm, with Mary serving as the bookkeeper for both ventures.

After leaving New York, they spent 28 years living in Florida before eventually retiring to Ascension Living Alexian Village in Signal Mountain, Tennessee. She began painting at the age of 77. Her husband passed away in September 2003 at the age of 90. On her 110th birthday, she received a letter personally signed by Pope Francis.

At the age of 114, she had five grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild on the way.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Stefan Maglov, and validated by LongeviQuest on 25 January 2023.

ATTRIBUTION

* Joseph “Papa Joe” Petrillose – Find A Grave

* “You’re Invited to Help Mary Harris Celebrate Her 105th Birthday” – Signal Mountain Mirror, 12 May 2016

* “Signal Mountain woman gets signed letter from the Pope on 110th birthday” – WRCBtv, 17 May 2021

* “Signal Mountain Woman Turns 114” – News Channel 9, 13 May 2025

GALLERY