It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of Cozetta Harris’s passing on January 31st, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. She was 94.
Cozetta Shirley Harris was born in Mell, Kentucky on September 13th, 1930. She was raised on a tobacco farm with her siblings Bernadine, Francis, and James, and grew up during the Great Depression. She put herself through college after graduating high school as a math tutor for basketball players and always had a love for teaching and helping others. After graduating from college, she moved to Florida and became a teacher in the Florida school system, teaching everyone from children in kindergarten to teenagers in high school. Cozetta always had the heart of a teacher and took immense joy in being able to share the excitement and power of learning with every one of her students.
In 1963, she gave birth to her only child, Heather. She then went on to earn her Master’s degree in Mathematics and also obtained her pilot’s license in the early 1970’s. Cozetta spent 45 years as a teacher in the Florida public school system and also served as a Vice Principal before relocating to Orlando to finish her teaching career. Over her long and respected teaching career, Cozetta taught thousands of children and mentored dozens of teachers along the way.
Cozetta also loved to spend time with her three grandchildren, Rachel, Katy, and John, and exemplified the heart of a grandmother. She enjoyed being able to spend precious years with them during their early childhood in Orlando, and even after they moved away, she flew up to visit them each year for Christmas up until just a few years ago. When she wasn’t teaching or spending time with her family, Cozetta enjoyed working on crossword puzzles and brain teasers, sewing, learning new things, watching the Celtics and college football, reading the Bible, and spending time with beloved friends.
Cozetta will be tremendously missed and loved by her family and friends, but as a believer, we are so happy to know that she is now and will forever be in the presence of our loving savior, Jesus.
She is survived by her daughter, Heather Rittenhouse, grandchildren Rachel Shaw, Katy Estes, John Philbrick, her grandsons-in-law Jeremy Shaw and Tim Estes, her great-children, Arabelle Boyd and Jaxon Estes, and many other nieces, cousins, family, and friends.
A memorial service for Cozetta will be held on Thursday, February 13, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at A Community Funeral Home, located at 910 W Michigan Street in Orlando, FL 32805.
Her burial will take place in Glasgow, KY, under the care of Hatcher & Saddler Funeral Home. Flowers are always welcome, but please feel free to make a donation to your favorite ministry or charity in lieu of flowers in honor of Cozetta.