Frank & Bright Funeral Home
Dolores Harris
Sep 14th, 1933 - Oct 25th, 2023Dolores Jean Harris, age 90, of Flora, Illinois, passed away Wednesday afternoon, October 25, 2023, at her home in the loving care of her daughter, Tammy Reneé.
She was born on September 14, 1933, in Xenia, Illinois, the sixth child of George Wendell and Marjorie Hannah (Dively) Vaughn.
Dolores was born into a musical family and grew up playing piano and singing in a trio with her sisters. One night at the young age of 16, she substituted for one of the members of her father and mother’s singing group, the Jubilee Quartet, at a church in Fairfield, Illinois. A young man by the name of Ray Harris was in the audience that night and watched “the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen” sing. He left quickly that night, afraid to talk to her. When he mustered the courage to try and find her, no one knew who she was. So his search stalled, until one Sunday afternoon Ray and his brother were in Flora and decided to go roller skating. And much to his surprise there she was, the girl he had been searching for! They skated and Ray conveniently slipped away from his brother to attend church with Dolores that evening. The whirlwind romance began, and Ray started singing with Dolores’ family group. Nine months later on January 15, 1951, they were united in marriage at the Ellen Moore Methodist Church in Fairfield, Illinois. She was 17 years old. She proceeded to finish her senior year at Flora High School, graduating third in her class and then joined Ray at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia.
After living as an Army wife and giving birth to their first daughter, Vickie, she moved back to Flora and began traveling and singing with her husband in the mid-1950s. For 15 years she and Ray traveled full-time all over the United States, Canada, and Mexico in Southern Gospel music as The Crusaders of Illinois. It is no surprise that Dolores became known as “the Lady with the Million Dollar Smile”! Along with Ray and Dolores their group included Dolores’ sister Mary Ann and brother Jim and the “Singing Midget” Lowell Mason, who sang bass. They were a hit everywhere they sang, with their unique blend of harmonies, song selections and spirited presentation complete with live instruments. Dolores played the tenor sax. An early highlight of their singing career was when they garnered the coveted Amateur Award at the National Quartet Convention in Memphis, Tennessee. They began performing not only in small churches but major auditoriums with such names as Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (Trigger, too), Bill Gaither, The Blackwood Brothers, The Statesmen Quartet, The Oak Ridge Boys, Cecil Todd of Revival Fires and more. One highlight for Dolores was performing at the Seattle World’s Fair in 1962. She and the group recorded in studios from Chino, California, to Indianapolis, Indiana, to Atlanta, Georgia, releasing five LP albums during that time.
After making many contacts during their travels, Ray and Dolores desired to help others record and produce albums in a Christian setting, so the vision of Crusade Enterprises Recording Studios was born and established in the mid-1960s. They facilitated the entire process from recording through to the final project (recording, artwork, printing, album jacket assembly and shipment) all done on site. Many singers and musicians from all over North America recorded at Crusade during 50 plus years, where they were greeted by Dolores who ran the office and finalized all the particulars of each recording project. For several years, she continued to operate Crusade Enterprises, Inc. after her husband passed with the help of her treasured employees. Dolores and her husband, along with their youngest daughter Tammy Reneé also traveled and sang as The Ray Harris Trio, releasing one album together, until Tammy Reneé left for college.
After the unexpected death of their daughter Vickie in 1972, God impressed upon Dolores and Ray to disciple people of all ages, but with a focus on young people. They started a not-for-profit called New Wine Ministries, which is still in existence today, and purchased a downtown building they named New Wine Christian Center where weekly meetings and special services were held. It was a huge labor of love, and they even bought a bus to transport youth from all over their community to and from the events. Dolores focused on the younger children, of which Tammy Reneé was a part. Dolores and Ray were privileged to have a variety of speakers and singers over the years that included Miss America 1972, Laurel Lea Schaefer, and Nora Lam, who presented them the opportunity to make three trips to Taiwan and other Asian countries. Shortly after arriving on the island the first time, Typhoon Thelma greeted them. She and her family and close friend survived unscathed in the eye of the storm with 125 mile an hour winds. An irreplaceable experience she never forgot was seeing 50,000 people inside an open-air stadium and 50,000 outside in the pouring rain to hear about Jesus. No matter what country she was in, she made many lifelong friends.
In her later years, Dolores devoted her time and energies to supporting Tammy Reneé in all her activities and ministry as agent/manager, booking many churches, TV appearances, outdoor venues, and theaters all over the country. She also served as her traveling companion, wardrobe consultant, sound engineer, recording project manager, biggest fan and great dog sitter for their beloved family toy poodle, Sassy. She and Tammy Reneé were not only mother and daughter but best friends and a team. She lived for their traveling adventures together. As her health and eyesight failed, she still loved to listen to Tammy Reneé read the Bible and pray.
Dolores confessed faith in Jesus as her Savior at a very early age and it was this deep relationship with Him that sustained her through the tragic death of Vickie, who was only 20 years old and the loss of Ray, who was just 62.
Dolores was a devoted, compassionate, caring, supportive, and loyal wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. She was full of life, energy, joy, and deep love. She was always warm and welcoming with a beautiful smile that she shared with everyone she met. Those who knew her truly loved her. She was genuine in her faith and character.
She is survived by her daughter Tammy Reneé Harris of Flora and toy poodle, Sugar; 2 sisters: Kathryn (the late Thomas A.) Grogan of Spring, TX, and Mary Ann (the late Del) Harris of Fenton, MO; 4 Nephews: Mike Grogan, Terry Vaughn, Keith Lewis, and Steve Lewis; 2 Nieces: Mary Kay Grogan and Tricia Harris; several great nieces and nephews; and many cherished family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband: Ray Harris; daughter: Victoria Lynn Harris; her parents; 2 sisters: Florene Vaughn and Ruth Lewis; 3 brothers: Paul, Charles, and Jim Vaughn; 1 nephew: Dennis Lewis; and toy poodle, Sassy.
A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home in Flora. Interment will follow in Elmwood Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday evening and thirty minutes prior to the ceremony on Saturday at the funeral home. Memorial donations are suggested to a love fund to assist with expenses and these will be accepted through the funeral home. Please make checks payable to Love in Action. To share a condolence or memory, visit: www.frankandbright.com