Judith Lea Harris, 70, of Roanoke Rapids, died Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, NC.

Judith was a native of Lexington, NC, the daughter of the late Peter Stokes Lea and Hannah Reece Lea.

She studied piano with Jennie B. Pickett in Lexington and majored in piano performance, studying piano with Lucille Harris and Christopher Giles at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree there in 1965. Later, she received a Master of Music in Piano Performance from East Carolina University, where she studied with Dr. Robert Carter. She retired from the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District after serving twenty years as an assistant teacher. Since retirement, she had volunteered to play for Belmont School chorus and the Roanoke Rapids High School chorus. She played for many musical productions, including outdoor drama at Halifax, NC, musical productions for Charlie John Smith at Louisburg College in Louisburg, NC, and at Lakeland Theatre Company in Littleton, NC. Judith was the accompanist for The Lakeland Singers, a choral group that performs several concerts in the area annually. She has served as organist at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Roanoke Rapids, NC since 1976 and has also taught piano in Roanoke Rapids since 1969.

Judith is survived by her son, Braxton Harris and his wife, Linda, of Roanoke Rapids; two grandchildren, Summer Harris and Will Harris; and her brother, Ben Lea of Chatsworth, CA.

Memorial services will be held on Sunday, March 17, at 4 p.m. at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Roanoke Rapids with the Rev. Dr. Marjorie Holm, Rev. Duncan Jones, Rev. Beverly Huck, Rev. C. Fredrick Eichner, and Rev. Robert Alves. Inurnment will follow in the church columbariam. The family will receive friends after the service in the church Parrish House.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to Tabor United Methodist Church, c/o Dr. Kay Lawrence,1838 Wayman Church Rd. Littleton, NC 27850 for the Will Hawkins Family.