Kimberly Harrison

Kimberly Nicole Harrison, 48, of Charlotte, passed away Thursday, October 29, 2020 at Atrium Mercy in Charlotte.

Kimberly Nicole Stewart-Harrison was born in Harlem, New York on June 3, 1972 to the late Charles Felton Stewart and LaVerne Stewart-Floyd. She weighed 2lbs, 13oz however, that small weight was no indication of the big life she would live. Kimberly was diagnosed with sickle cell disease and heart disease at age five. She did not let it deter her from a full childhood filled with the arts, song and dance. She successfully completed multiple honors programs in the New York City Public School system and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in the Bronx, New York.

In 1990, Kimberly began a successful pursuit of Bachelor’s Degree at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. After graduating, she returned to New York worked various jobs, got married, had a son in 1997, Avery Charles Bruce, and went on to obtain her Master’s Degree from The New School in New York, New York in 2001. In 2003 she married Kwame Harrison and had a daughter, Asha Mychel Harrison.

Through the years, Kimberly’s experience and education lead to her professionally ascending to Deputy Director of the New York City Parks Department’s Welfare-to-Work Program. A position and a mission of which she was enormously proud. In 2005, Kimberly moved back to Charlotte, North Carolina with her family. She worked for the Sickle Cell Foundation (Charlotte), Friendship Missionary Baptist Church (My Sister’s House) and finally Wells Fargo Bank. Each of her jobs involved helping people with employment or improving their lives.

In the subsequent years, Kimberly’s health challenges resulted in three open heart surgeries, innumerable sickle cell crises and other medical issues. She faced each with amazing strength and determination. Kimberly often reminded everyone that KIM was an acronym for Keep It Moving. After her last heart surgery in 2016, she proclaimed that she was like a Timex watch. She takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’. No one ever thought that anything could get her down and keep her there. She was our Phenomenal Woman.

She leaves to mourn her husband, Kwame; daughter, Asha; son, Avery; mother and stepdad, LaVerne & William Floyd; stepbrother, Derrick Floyd; her beloved in-laws, Karen, Robyn & Clyde Yates; many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm, Monday, November 9, 2020 at Hartsell Funeral Home of Harrisburg. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 pm.  Webcasting will begin at 1:45 pm and the instructions are as follows: www.hartsellfuneralhomes.com; Click on the service tab; click on webcasting;  then choose the Harrisburg location; You will then be able to view <LIVE>

Hartsell Funeral Home of Harrisburg is serving the Harrison family.