On April 21, Norma Lee “Niki” Harris of Ellicott City at the age of 86. She is survived by daughters Sheryl Cooper (Eric Reisman) and Mindy Cooper (David Grenke); stepchildren Terry and Michael Fortunato and Joseph and Jennifer Harris; brother Arnold (Judy) Zerwitz; grandchildren Kayla Reisman (Andrew Brandel), Lianna Reisman, Sophie Grenke and Cooper Grenke; and great-granddaughter Sunni Belle Taylor. She was predeceased by husbands Alan Edgar Harris, Angelo Fortunato and David Cooper and parents Sophie and Jack Zerwitz. She was born and raised in Baltimore, graduated from Forest Park High School and the University of Maryland and earned a master’s degree from the University of Baltimore. She impacted the lives of thousands of students as a passionate English and drama teacher for over 30 years at Pimlico Junior High School, Western High School and Howard High School in Howard County. After retiring from teaching, she worked for the College Bound Foundation and the Maryland State Department of Education writing and editing curriculum. She spent 16 of her youthful summers at Camp Louise in western Maryland. She served on the boards of directors of the Baltimore School for the Arts and the Everyman Theater. She was a founding member of Beth Tfiloh Couples Club, writing and directing performances for young couples in the 1970s, and a lifelong member of Hadassah.
Contributions may be sent to the Baltimore School for the Arts, the Everyman Theater or Camps Airy & Louise.
