Margaret Ann Cannon Harris
March 17, 1956 – June 14, 2026

Dr. Margaret Ann Cannon Harris, 70, of Wilmington, NC, passed away on June 14, 2026.  She was born March 17, 1956, to the late Heber and Sue Cannon of Bethel.

Margaret dedicated her life to working with young people in not only their education, but in life as well.  She received her Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Science in Home Economics from East Carolina University.  She earned her PH.D. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she was a recipient of the Naomi G. Albanese Doctoral Fellowship, with a concentration in Human Environmental Sciences Education.  She also earned a Master Certificate in Applied Project Management from Villanova University.  Dr. Harris taught in the Edgecombe, Hyde, and New Hanover County Schools.  She worked with Brunswick County Schools for eight years as the Career and Technical Education Coordinator.  She then worked with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh for six years as the Instructional Management Consultant.  She loved to travel to the school systems around the state, working with Career and Technical Education Directors, Instructional Management Coordinators, teachers, and students to enhance the quality of their education and lives.  She always put the needs of students first.

Dr. Harris was always active in the community, church, and schools.  In 2011, she was inducted into the East Carolina University School of Education Hall of Fame.  It was even more special that she and her husband, Morgan H. Harris, were inducted at the same time.

For almost 40 years, her life was devoted to her husband, Morgan H. Harris.  She enjoyed working on his books and historical projects with him.   They also enjoyed traveling and playing golf together.

Margaret was an active member of Elah Baptist Church in Leland, NC.  Bethel Methodist Church was her home church where she grew up.  She loved serving in both churches.  She served as music director/organist, as well as interim and substitute organist/pianist in numerous churches in the Bethel and Wilmington area.  She was a member of the Wilmington Chapter of the National Guild of Organists.  She also helped form the Cambridge Village Church choir.  She believed music was a very important aspect of worship and loved to spend time in private at the organ playing for the Lord.  She also enjoyed photography, cooking, knitting, and sewing, where she made prayer shawls, pillows, and lap blankets for medical patients.  Her greatest love was her family and being “GiGi” to her grandchildren and great-granddaughter.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Morgan H. Harris.  She is survived by her step-son, Vincent Truman Harris (Tamara) of Wilmington; two granddaughters, Sydney Harris of Wilmington, and Morgan Harris Garvey  (Zach) of Jacksonville; two grandsons, Alex Cox, of Winterville and Preston Jolly of Wilmington; a great-granddaughter, Olivia Hope Garvey of Jacksonville; and a sister Sue Ellen Cannon Williams of Greenville, sister-in-law Nell Harris Howell of Washington, NC and Linda Carroll Harris of Marion, NC and brother-in-law Neil C. Harris of Manteo, NC.  She is also survived by a god-daughter, Stephanie Ragland Stalls of Bethel, and numerous nieces and nephews, as well as great-nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Friday, June 19, 2026, at 11:00 am at Bethel Methodist Church, Bethel, NC, with Rev. Kenneth Long officiating.  Interment will follow at Pamlico Memorial Gardens, Hwy # 264 in Washington, NC.

Visitation will be held at Bethel Methodist Church, one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Bethel Methodist Church at PO Box 207, Bethel, NC 27812, or Elah Baptist Church, 1527 Old Fayetteville Rd. NE, Leland, NC 28451.

Bryan Funeral Service, Swan Quarter, is honored to serve the Harris family.