Mitzi A. Harrison

Mitzi Ann Harrison, 45 of Battle Creek, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, July 25, 2015 in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her loving wife at her side. Mitzi was born May 3, 1970 in Battle Creek to Richard "Rick" and Lavon (Harvey) Harrison. She received her GED from Battle Creek Central in 1989.

Throughout her life she enjoyed her work as a Construction Assistant alongside her father, a school bus driver, and an advocate for troubled youth. In most recent years, she focused all of her energies and found her true calling volunteering many hours for Battle Creek Pride.

Mitzi is survived by her parents, Rick and Lavon; beloved wife, Deana Spencer; her sister, Misty Kissinger, niece and nephew, Stella and Vincent "Vinnie" Kissinger; her great-niece, Harley Kissinger, and a special aunt, Lisa Harvey, who was more like a sister to her.

Mitzi married her soul mate and the love of her life in a spiritual ceremony on June 28, 2008 on the Capitol steps in Lansing, MI. They held a wedding ceremony/vow renewal with the support and in the presence of many friends and family on their 5th Anniversary June 29, 2013. They were finally able to legally marry on July 13, 2015 after a much anticipated SCOTUS ruling making it possible. They met in 1983 and became fast friends, later finding mutual love for one another. Life events separated them the following year and after 23 years apart their paths crossed and their souls reunited once again making them inseparable and proving that love truly transcends time. Mitzi always said Deana was her "forever after"…

Throughout her young life, Mitzi was a loving care giver to several nieces, nephews and young cousins during various times of need. She spent much of her time as a young adult assisting Vinnie and Stella with home school while her sister worked to maintain the family household. Vinnie & Stella's favorite memory was of Mitzi teaching them all about local & world folklore, taking them on fieldtrips to County Park & Oak Hill Cemetery, reading many books and telling many stories about urban legends, even making a "documentary" video with the kids. Mitzi believed in teaching and learning about the mysteries of this world, seen and unseen.
Mitzi was a kind and gentle soul who gave freely of herself, she was honest and truthful, funny and smart and a true romantic. She loved spending time with her family whom she cherished beyond words.

Mitzi loved music of all kinds from blues & classical to rock-n-roll & country and everything in between. But Mitzi's favorite music was Ozzy Osbourne and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Mitzi and Deana spent countless hours and countless miles traveling throughout the Midwest to see as many of her concerts as they could. They had the pleasure to see her 33 times in all even being so lucky to have met her 5 different times and attending the ceremony in Cleveland, OH when she was inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, an experience Mitzi said she would never forget.

In her younger years, Mitzi enjoyed hunting and fishing with her dad and the peacefulness that nature offered and tinkering around the garage with him. She enjoyed going to the flea markets and estate sales with her mom searching for wind chimes, old bottles, old dolls for her mom, weird trinkets that held mystery and just the right treasure.

Mitzi loved books and was an avid reader, so much so that she would skip school as a teenager and escape to Willard Library to get lost in a book. She was well known for her quick witted, honest and sometimes dark humor. She had a way of "telling it like it is" while making people laugh. She loved good conversation and loved good coffee even more. She loved world news and always found natural disasters and weather anomalies fascinating. She had many childhood adventures and was a rebellious force to be reckoned with! She had a deep spiritual belief, maintaining much of her Episcopalian roots and was extremely gifted. She believed in activism, women's and LGBTQ rights and dedicated much of her life fighting for those causes.

Mitzi loved the holidays, especially Halloween and Christmas. Halloween was during Mitzi's favorite time of year, fall. She loved the changing leaves and watching the earth prepare itself for a winter slumber. Her sister Misty remembers going to the Apple Orchard & Pumpkin Patch many times and sneaking pumpkins into their trunk of the car. She loved baking and the scents of fall. Christmas time was also very special to her as she loved the magic that it held the wonder and surprise of Christmas morning, shopping for her mom with Misty and giving that perfect gift to the ones she loved.

Mitzi truly was a complex, fun, romantic & beautiful person and will forever be missed by all who knew her….

The family will receive friends 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, July 30, 2015 at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care where funeral services to celebrate Mitzi's life will be held 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 31, 2015. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to the Willard Library, Battle Creek Pride or the Mitzi's Memorial Arrangements Gofundme page @ http://www.gofundme.com/5wg8f5wjgs. Personal messages may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.