Idella Harris, entrepreneur, activist and volunteer, dies

Idella Harris, a businesswoman and fervent community activist and volunteer in the Rockville Centre-Lakeiew area for over 50 years, died May 19. She was 99.

Harris created two businesses, Idella’s Beauty Parlor and Idella Harris Real Estate. “She always said she had a hard time opening up her businesses, and if it wasn’t for the Town of Hempstead, she wouldn’t be where she was,” said Julian Jones, vice chair of the Lakeview Council. Jones added that Harris was never negative about anything, and never told her why she struggled to establish the businesses.

After years of working in her beauty parlor, she decided to switch careers and obtained her real estate license. She worked at Idella Harris Real Estate until she was 98, Jones said.

She was involved in many areas of the community she loved. Harris was a founding member and a past president of both the Lakeview Community Center and the Pinebrook Civic Association. She also served on the Lakeview Public Library board for over 10 years, and was its president during her tenure. She was also a secretary to the board of the Rockville Centre/Lakeview Economic Opportunity Commission for many years. The EOC is a not-for-profit community action agency that provides low-income people and immigrants with an emergency food pantry, food stamp assistance, senior citizen advocacy and other services.

Harris also served the Lakeview Council, a community betterment and safety organization, for well over 50 years, until she was 98, Jones said.

Harris is survived by her children, Joyce, Russell, the Rev. Earl Harris (Nancy), Brenda (Dr. Robert Lauer) and LaVincent (Dana), in addition to grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Her husband, Russell, died several years ago, Jones said.