If you are a frequent shopper at the Rockford Target store on East State Street, there is one face and sweet smile that will no longer be there to greet you. 

Scrolling through Facebook last night, I came across this story and automatically exclaimed out loud "NO!" To me, she was "the Target lady". I always looked for her when I was heading to the checkouts or needing help at the customer service counter, because she was always so pleasant to be around. She constantly oogled over the baby clothes I was buying, which somehow made me feel just a little less guilty about all the money I was spending. Diane Marie Harris passed away Saturday, August 20 in her sleep, and now we all realize just how many lives her sweet, smiling face touched in this community. Kindness really does matter.

 

I've spent many years working retail; I've done a lot of shopping in my days, and retail workers like Diane Marie Harris are few and far between. Working with the public that closely every day is hard; people can be so nasty and unpleasant. Diane never seemed to let it faze her, and she made Target feel like the happiest place on Earth, which for most women at least, it is.

A memorial gathering for Diane Marie Harris will be held tonight, Friday, August 26 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory on Mulford Road in Rockford. Read her full obituary here.

I will miss you, Diane. God speed.

 

More From Rockford's New Country Q98.5