Jerrilyn "Jerri" Harris passed away on September 23, 2025, in her home in South Lyon, Michigan, with her life partner, Brian, daughter, Tammi, and son, David, by her side. 

Growing up in Prattville, Michigan, Jerri was always very active. She made many of her favorite childhood memories on her grandparents' farm in Hudson, playing with the cows and chickens. She went to school in Waldron, Michigan, and after graduation married her hometown sweetheart, David N. Harris. They eventually moved to Saline, Michigan, where together they raised two children, Tammi and David. They separated later in life. Dave went on to remarry and passed in 1995 from prostate cancer.

Jerri had a long career as an electronics assembler, and it was during one of her employments that she met her life partner, Brian. They spent 38 years together, during which time they have ridden horseback across the state of Michigan, skied cross-country, visited cider mills, and completed puzzles. On their small hobby farm, they have played with and helped raise grandchildren, grew hay, cared for alpacas, horses, chickens, and dogs. Most importantly, they loved and laughed and experienced life together.

Jerri was brilliant, talented, and artistic. Among her many talents, she painted, sewed, did needlepoint and embroidery, wood-burned, crocheted, knitted, weaved, processed and spun fiber, repaired spinning wheels, and turned material on a lathe to produce pens, key fobs, and parts for spinning wheels. She won many ribbons at local fairs for her crafts. Her other hobbies included fishing, kayaking, horseback riding, camping, traveling, meetings with her crafting group, and occasionally visiting the casino with her friends. 

Jerri truly loved her granddaughters, Somerleigh, Acadia, and Kaija. "Gramianna" was a key figure in their childhoods. She often cared for them, sometimes working different shifts to help family out whenever needed. She took them on annual camping trips in Michigan, with most of the trips centering around the Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower Peninsula.  Along with her best friend, Louella Wilson, she even took Somerleigh on a horseback trip through the Canadian Rockies.

Jerri often said that her heart belonged in the Upper Peninsula. Her grandparents took her on trips to Curtis back before the Mackinaw Bridge was built, she honeymooned in Curtis, and she took her family to Curtis on vacations. She felt at home the most in the Munising area, where she took various members of the family (especially the grandchildren) on many vacations. Fond memories were made driving along the shores of the mighty Lake Superior, listening to Enya and watching the waves, and more memories were made driving along the camp roads and listening to the Yoopers sing about the size of the mosquitoes in the U.P.  Pasties were a required treat on every trip.

Jerri had a big, warm, smile and a big, warm, heart to match. Her generosity was boundless, and she was always ready to help someone in need. Jerri's vibrant personality, amazing spirit, and beautiful smile are tremendously missed by all those she left behind. 

Jerri is survived by her partner, Brian Nugent, her children, Tammi Harris and David (Tracy) Harris, her grandchildren, Somerleigh (Noah) Yeargain, Acadia Mercer, and Kaija Harris, her brothers, Robert (Jean) Lovell and Clarence "Kim" Sweigart, and nieces, nephews, and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert C. Lovell in 1968 and Leona (née Mills) Sweigart in 2010.

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