Angela I. Haris

Angela Ilona Fekete Haris was born in Gyor, Hungary, on October 25, 1936. She was one of six children born to Josef and Margit Fekete. Angela was close with all her siblings: William, Julius, Lajos, Josef, and Margit.

Angela grew up on a farm, where she developed her lifelong love of gardening, animals, and baking. During World War II, two of her brothers left Hungary—one for the United States and one for Australia. Angela left Hungary in 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution. At the age of 20, she arrived at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey. Shortly after, she was offered a full scholarship to Rivier College in Nashua, New Hampshire. She excelled in college by learning English, writing poetry, and majoring in Biology.

After college, Angela worked in research at Tufts University, which led to a job offer at Merck in Rahway, NJ. While working at Merck, she lived in New York City, where she met her lifelong love, Bela, at a party for Hungarian refugees. They were married in 1963. Pictures from that time show Angela's growing love of fashion, fabrics, and colors.

Their daughter, Michelle, was born in 1967, followed by their son, Clinton, in 1972. After taking time off to raise her children, Angela returned to work part-time as a chemist at a medical device manufacturer in Norristown, PA. While working and raising her children, she obtained a master’s degree in chemistry from Rosemont College. She later returned to full-time work at Upper Merion Township, where she worked at their wastewater treatment plant as a chemist. She spent 25 years at the township, progressing to serve as their Health Officer and in roles in their Code Enforcement Department.

In later years, Angela combined her love of art, clothing, and Hungarian culture by making, importing, and selling Hungarian felt pillows, jackets, and ornaments at craft shows across the East Coast. Family was always important to Angela, and she particularly enjoyed babysitting for her local grandchildren, Amanda and Andrew. Her favorite vacations were spent visiting her grandchildren, Allison and Nathaniel, in California and Massachusetts. She also traveled multiple times to Australia and Hungary to visit her siblings, nieces, and nephews.

Angela was predeceased by her husband Bela Maximilian Haris who passed in May 2019. She is survived by her two children Michelle Haris Kichline (Michael) and Clinton Michael Haris (Brenda) and four grandchildren: Amanda and Andrew Kichline; Allison and Nathaniel Haris.

Visitation will be held on December 7, 2024 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM at St. Katherine of Siena Church in Wayne, PA, followed by her Funeral Mass at 10:30 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Dementia Society of America.

Arrangements by DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home Inc. 410 N Church St. West Chester, PA 19380 610-696-1181