Irmgard "Susi" Hildegard Susanne Harris Obituary (1945 - 2018)

Irmgard Hildegard Susanne Harris Susi was born November 29, 1945 in Raindorf, Bavaria, near Munich. Her mother, Ida, raised 11 children in post-war Germany. Her father, Michael, was a soldier, captured on the Russian front, but he survived. Susi definitely knew hardship and doing without in her young years. After being rescued from running away with a local circus, at age 14, she developed a burning desire to come to America. At 17, she married a GI and came to America in 1963, with her 3 month-old son Victor and $60 in her pocket. She lived in Boston with an aunt, worked 2 jobs, learned English, and received her college degree. She worked for some time at Strategic Air Command at several military bases, and became extremely proficient in business management. She eventually moved to California, where she met and worked with Mike Harris at Nulaid Foods, a noted egg products factory, which Mike managed. She soon became involved with shipping frozen products to Hawaii & Guam. In 1979, they moved to Seattle and married on January 2, 1982. Susi answered a newspaper ad from TMX Shipping for a freight forwarder position. She fell in love with the job, the customers, and the rapid pace of the industry. From then on, she devoted her full energy to the shipping industry and especially fresh fruit. This was a challenge she could not pass up. Eventually she became sole-owner and operator of Universal Freight Forwarders, specializing in perishable commodities. With great support from customers and colleagues, she built a great business. During the glory days of breakbulk shipping, she managed full charter shiploads of fruit, guiding every last truck to shipside, carefully watching the stowage of every pallet. After "retiring" in 2008, she eventually reopened her business as Harris International Freight Forwarders, which she operated until her passing. She had a great ability to develop solid working relationships on both sides of the business and she always understood it was the customer that was at the heart of every action. SHE LOVED HER CUSTOMERS and they had her persistent attention 24/7. Susi was a female pioneer in a male-dominated industry. At one point she controlled the majority of the fresh fruit shipments from the Northwest to Europe. She was a mentor to three generations of transportation professionals, many of whom became leaders in the export business. Susi doted on her beloved little dogs and was never far from them. She left us all very suddenly April 3, 2018 at her home in Seattle. She is preceded in death by her son, Victor; her parents, Ida & Michael Miedl; brother, Josef; and sister, Marianne. She is survived by husband, Mike; sisters, Ida, Elizabeth, Helga, Irene, Theres, Elfriede, and Rita; a brother, Michael; step-son, Brian; 3 grandsons, David, Adam, Jack Matthew; and many nieces, nephews and cousins in Germany and Michigan. Memorial Mass will be held at 11am, Monday, April 16th, at Hoffner Fisher & Harvey Chapel, 508 N. 36th St, Seattle, 98103. A reception will follow. An additional service will be held in Wenatchee at a later date. Remembrances may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, or the Wounded Warrior Project. Hoffner Fisher & Harvey Guestbook at harveyfuneral.com To send a flower arrangement in memory of Irmgard "Susi" Hildegard Susanne Harris, please click here to visit our sympathy store.