Patricia Lee Harris, affectionately known as Tish throughout her life, was born on April 12, 1942 to Leon & Elsie Korman. A lifelong resident of Ventura County, she attended a different elementary school each year due to the rising demand for new schools from the baby boom; Anacapa Junior High, where she was very active in academics, sports and art; and Ventura High School, where she was a star student and graduated in 1960.
Tish attended San Jose State University where she received Bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and Sociology with minors in Art & Physical Education. She enjoyed spending summers working with Children with Special Needs.
Tish was an all-around star athlete – an avid tennis player who played against Billie Jean King in high school and a golfer who won the Saticoy Club Championship in 1980.
Her passion for sports led her to a career as a Physical Education teacher.
Tish was proud to be a first-generation college student during a time when women weren’t expected to seek higher education. She felt her greatest accomplishments as a mother & grandmother were seeing her son, Jed, attend the University of Southern California and her daughter, Kendra, and her granddaughter, Elsie, attend Harvard University.
Tish married the love of her life, Jim Harris, on January 25, 1969. They celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary in 2023.
Tish enjoyed golfing with the ladies at Saticoy and maintained lifelong passions as a violist and an artist.
Tish valiantly fought cancer for over 30 years without complaint and always with a radiant smile, especially to those who gave her an expiration date. She was referred to by many as their “Little Hero.”
Tish is survived by her beloved husband, James Allen “Jim” Harris, her lovely daughter, Kendra Lee Harris Ragatz (Erik), her precious son, Jed James Harris (Tiffany), two beautiful granddaughters, Elsie Karen Ragatz (19) and Kate Patricia Donna Ragatz (16) and two darling grandsons, Wyatt James Harris (10) and Judge James Harris (9), her sister-in-law, Nancy Harris and her adopted brother, Hank Korman.
A private funeral will be held in the coming weeks and a Celebration of Life event will follow. In lieu of flowers, Tish’s family requests donations be directed to Greyfoot Cat Rescue & Sanctuary (https://greyfootcat.rescuegroups.org/) where Tish established a fund to pair seniors with pet companions cost free.
Arrangements are under the direction of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, 757 E. Main Street Ventura.