Dawn E. Dise-Harman

Seven Valleys--Dawn Elaine (Wert) Dise-Harman, 89, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday September 26, 2024. She was born in Red Lion, PA on July 28, 1935, the only daughter of the late Rosella (Wilt) and the late Llewellyn Wert. 

 She graduated from Red Lion High School in 1953 where she was a cheerleader and sang in choral groups. Having prepared through the academic curriculum, she attended Temple University School of Nursing to be a registered Nurse (RN).

 However, Dawn had a boyfriend, Richard Dise, back home, and chose the life of mother to their two girls and farmwife over completing her nursing education. The chores and the endless work on the farm were labors of love for her. She liked to knit and spend time with her family in their backyard pool. Her idyllic life crashed on a summer day in 1982 with Richard’s fatal heart attack. 

 Soon after, Dawn enrolled at York County School of Technology and attained her Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) certificate. From there, she began the nursing career she had aspired to since she was a young girl. She retired from HealthSouth Rehab Hospital, York, PA. in 1999.

 In 1990, Dawn met Ron Harman at a Discovery Singles dance at the former York Valley Inn, York, PA. Her forte was Jitterbug and his was West Coast Swing but they made it work. It wasn’t long before they started dating exclusively and building a life together. They married on June 16, 2001, at Bethany United Methodist Church, Red Lion, PA, her church since childhood. 

 They continued to enjoy dancing but added tending to their home and property, bicycling, rooting for the Baltimore Ravens and taking extended road trips throughout the United States and Canada. She was fond of vacations at the beach and the activities and the friendships she made at Windy Hill Senior Center, Spring Grove, PA. She was a member of AARP and the Jewish Community Center, York, PA and an ardent supporter of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. 

 Dawn was an intelligent, compassionate, feisty and, above all, loving person who was robbed of her intellect and personality by Late Onset Dementia / Alzheimer's disease.

 In addition to Ron, Dawn is survived by her daughter Cheryl Watson, her grandson Matthew Watson and Ashley and her great granddaughters Clair and Ansley Watson, all of White Post, VA. Also, by her son-in-law Bill Thompson, Augusta, GA as well as her brother LeRoy Wert and Yvonne, Sun City Center, FL, one niece, two nephews and many cousins.

 Her daughter Lori Thompson, Augusta, GA, also an LPN and a victim of COVID-19, predeceased her mother on December 26, 2020. Dawn also was predeceased by her other brothers Gerald Wert, Dallastown, PA and Gregory Wert, York, PA. 

 The family has great appreciation for the care provided to Dawn during the final stages of her condition by Wellspan, Hospice and Community Care and Deanie Taylor King / Sarah Wagoner. 

 A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00AM, Thursday, October 03, 2024 at Olewiler & Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., 35 Gotham Place, Red Lion. Officiating the service will be her pastor, the Rev. Donald C. Rowe. A viewing will be held from 10:00 – 11:00AM, Thursday, at the funeral home. Burial will be held privately in Salem Lutheran Cemetery – Jacobus. 

 In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dawn’s name are welcomed to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.