Obituary for Marsha McCracken (Harken)
Marsha Ann Harken McCracken, 72, of Erie, passed away on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Marsha was born on August 19th, 1950 in Knapp Creek, NY to the late Elmer Floyd Harken and N. Lucille McBride Harken.
Marsha moved to Bradford, PA as a child and graduated from Bradford High School in 1968. Early in adulthood, Marsha was a legal secretary and once her children were of school-age she worked in various flower shops fulfilling one of her passions making beautiful arrangements. Marsha was also heavily involved in her children’s school activities including driving them around to many sporting events over the years and was jokingly known as “Mom’s Taxi.”
Marsha met the love of her life, Charlie, in 1965, at Bradford High School. Charlie and Marsha were married for over 53 years and her heart was broken when she recently lost Charlie to a brain tumor. Marsha was a wonderful wife, mother, sister and grandmother. She had a true love of nature including planting flowers and gardening, observing deer, turkeys, birds and other animals in her own backyard and spent many years fishing local lakes and ponds. Marsha loved taking walks with her dogs and was a fantastic baker with apple pies being her specialty. She was also an avid bowler most of her life.
In addition to her parents, Marsha was preceded in death by her husband Charlie, one brother, Larry Harken, and a daughter, Janet, who died at birth.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Marie Aldridge and her husband Robert of Lake City, PA, Cheryl Byerley of Union City, PA and Karen McCracken and her partner Sharlene Hardy of Concord, NH. Marsha is also survived by her brother Gary Harken and his wife Martha, sister-in-law Ann Harken and one grandson, Luke Byerley, whom she adored.
A memorial service will be held at a future date at the Russell C. Schmidt and Son Funeral Home, Inc., 5000 Wattsburg Road, Erie, 16504.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Erie Humane Society, 2407 Zimmerly Rd, Erie, PA 16506.
Marsha moved to Bradford, PA as a child and graduated from Bradford High School in 1968. Early in adulthood, Marsha was a legal secretary and once her children were of school-age she worked in various flower shops fulfilling one of her passions making beautiful arrangements. Marsha was also heavily involved in her children’s school activities including driving them around to many sporting events over the years and was jokingly known as “Mom’s Taxi.”
Marsha met the love of her life, Charlie, in 1965, at Bradford High School. Charlie and Marsha were married for over 53 years and her heart was broken when she recently lost Charlie to a brain tumor. Marsha was a wonderful wife, mother, sister and grandmother. She had a true love of nature including planting flowers and gardening, observing deer, turkeys, birds and other animals in her own backyard and spent many years fishing local lakes and ponds. Marsha loved taking walks with her dogs and was a fantastic baker with apple pies being her specialty. She was also an avid bowler most of her life.
In addition to her parents, Marsha was preceded in death by her husband Charlie, one brother, Larry Harken, and a daughter, Janet, who died at birth.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Marie Aldridge and her husband Robert of Lake City, PA, Cheryl Byerley of Union City, PA and Karen McCracken and her partner Sharlene Hardy of Concord, NH. Marsha is also survived by her brother Gary Harken and his wife Martha, sister-in-law Ann Harken and one grandson, Luke Byerley, whom she adored.
A memorial service will be held at a future date at the Russell C. Schmidt and Son Funeral Home, Inc., 5000 Wattsburg Road, Erie, 16504.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Erie Humane Society, 2407 Zimmerly Rd, Erie, PA 16506.