Erlene "Tootie" Marilyn Harris, 92, of Galveston, Texas, formerly of Sioux City, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 7, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Family and friends are invited to join in celebrating Tootie's life on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Carnes Brothers Funeral Home in Galveston, Texas. Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM, followed by a service at 11:00 AM CST.  For those who would like to attend, the family will host a lunch afterward at Tootie's home, located at 3314 Pine St in Galveston. A service to honor and lay to rest Tootie's ashes will be held later at a mausoleum at Calvary Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa.

Erlene was born on May 19, 1932, in Sioux City, Iowa, to John and Amelia (Uhing) Wisner. She was the second of nine children and grew up in Sioux City, where she attended Lowell Elementary and Heelan High School. In 1956, Tootie earned her LVN degree, beginning a lifelong career dedicated to caring for others.

Her family was always her greatest priority. Although she was unable to have children of her own, she built a beautiful legacy through her love and devotion to her adopted son, Robin, and later became the legal guardian to her three grandchildren, Jason, Jessie, and Jerad. A natural caregiver, Tootie also played a significant role in raising her younger siblings, offering love and guidance that would last a lifetime.

Tootie's love for family extended to her incredible talent in the kitchen. She was a master cook, renowned for her heartwarming, home-cooked meals. A believer that there was no such thing as "too much food," she delighted in preparing large meals, always from scratch and filled with love. Her family will fondly remember her chicken and dumplings, dirty rice, lasagna, giant homemade meatballs with spaghetti, monkey bread, cream cheese brownies and her signature coconut Easter Bunny cake, just to name a few. These meals, created with care and generosity, were the backdrop of countless treasured family moments.

Her life exemplified her favorite Bible verse, Ephesians 4:32: "And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ." Tootie's kindness, compassion, and unwavering forgiveness are qualities that her loved ones will cherish forever.

Tootie was a deeply loved and devoted mother, lovingly survived by her son, Robert, and daughter-in-law, Bianca Heilman. She was also the proud and cherished grandmother of three grandchildren Jason and wife Cynthia Heilman, Jessica and husband Michael Ling, and Jerad and wife Sasha Heilman, Sr. Tootie's legacy lives on in her eight great-grandchildren Colby and wife Lavalea Richardson, Brandon Essex, Jacob and wife Destiny Richardson, Hailey Heilman, Brooke Essex, Isha Erlene Heilman - her namesake, who shared the same birthday - and Jerad Heilman, Jr. and Stephen Heilman. Her heart was further blessed by six great-great-grandchildren Colson Richardson, Jason Marshall, Oliana Richardson, Cailer Brown, Hudson Richardson, and Kash Galvan. Each of them held a special place in her heart, and her love will continue to shine through them.

Tootie is also lovingly survived by her cherished sister, Darlene and Michael Boulden; brother-in-law, Joseph Crickett; sisters-in-law, Adrian Wisner and Carol Wisner; and a host of nieces and nephews across the nation. She was also blessed to have her children by love Rodney Harris, Geralyn Strommen, Marilyn Sellers, and daughter-in-law Elaine Harris who held a special place in her heart. Tootie's legacy lives on through her ten grandchildren by love Robert and Dana Strommen, Joshua and Leslie Strommen, Kristin and Chris Skendziel, Lindsey and Jared McNeel, Cole and Ceycelly Sellers, Hayden Sellers, Leah and Chris McSheehy, Stephen and Leslie Dawidowicz, David and Emma Harris, Michael and Kyra Harris, as well as seventeen great-grandchildren, all of whom were deeply cherished and held a special place in her heart.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Rodney Jack Harris, bonus son Jack Harris, her great-granddaughter Skylar McNeel, three brothers Merle Wisner, Jack Wisner, and David Wisner, four sisters Carol Crickett, Barbara Shaw, Madonna Carrieo, Diana McGinnis, brothers-in-law Robert Carrieo and Robert Shaw, sister-in-law Lois Wisner, sons-in-law Chris Strommen and Daryl Sellers, and her two lifelong best friends Vonne Kaye Wisner and Shirley Edwards.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to Wendi Peralta, RN, MSN, FNP-C, and Kyu Jana, MD, both of UTMB, as well as Sigma Home Health and Absolute Hospice for their exceptional care and support.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to a charity of your choice.

For those unable to attend in person, services will be streamed live on YouTube.

Tootie's love, kindness, and nurturing spirit will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her.