Challan Louise Harris' Obituary
Challan Louise Harris passed away on January 2, 2026.
“Challany Macaroni” “Charlie” “Weezy”
Challan Louise Harris was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She lived to the age of 80. She was a true Florida Native and lived her life here. She learned to swim in the Davie Canal with her cousin Lil. She believed that the Lord comes first and if you follow HIM, everything else will fall into place. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Umatilla. Her Aunt Frankie taught her about Jesus at a young age and would pick her up for Sunday School and church. She became an amazing Sunday School teacher with a puppet ministry. She also did marionette puppets and a felt board ministry.
She was an artist as well. She enjoyed oil painting, stained glass, coloring adult coloring books, and crafts. There wasn’t much that woman couldn’t do. She could even skin an alligator and often killed snakes that found their way inside. She raised 3 teenagers on her own and became a mother and a father to them. To know her was to know kindness and unconditional love.
She was a teacher in the special education program. She educated the state about Dyslexia and set up a program here for her son. Then she went on to start the night school Cosmetology program at Lake Tech. From there she opened her own salon in Umatilla, Florida. Challan’s Salon. She ran many ministries here for divorced women and children. She was known to do free hair cuts for families in need or take some vegetables in trade. She loved to garden as well. Often, she would bring children Root Beer Floats along with their haircuts. If you showed up at lunchtime she always made you a plate of food; you were never a customer to her. You were family. Her daughter forced her to retire at the young age of 72. She always said “an old hairdresser never dies, they just curl up. Her daughter and granddaughter also became cosmetologists and teachers following in her legacy. They would often tease her about turning into an S curl.
In elementary school she had a huge crush on James Billy Osceloa. He was the first Indian they allowed to attend school so he could help translate the
peace treaties for the tribe. She would say he didn’t have to wear a shirt or shoes, and he had muscles from living on the reservation and he was just dreamy….
She did marry her high school sweetheart, John Stephen Counts. They were married 27 yrs and had 3 children together. She was greeted at the gates of Heaven by “Steve” and her 2 sons, John Stephen Counts, JR and Charles Allan Counts. She left her daughter, Challan Marie Counts Rodriguez, behind. She was her mother’s sole caretaker for the last 15 years and they were inseparable from birth. If you saw Challan, Marie was never far off. Her mother Sarah Louise McAfee and her father Charles Allan Harris also greeted her in Heaven among many friends. Her son Charles “Chuck” Counts married Paige Counts. He had 2 children, Madison K Counts Olson and Charles Allan Counts, III named after his grandmother. Charles married Sarah Maxey. Madison married David Olson. Challan also had a great grandson from Charles and Sarah, named Simon John Counts. Challan Marie Counts Rodriguez married John Rodriguez and had 3 children. Olivia Challan Rodriguez Anderson, who married Greg Anderson and gave her another great grandchild named Waylon Troy Anderson. Marie’s 2 sons are Adolfo Jeremy Rodriguez and John Ross Rodriguez.
Pastor Josh Douglas will be officiating the services at Hamlin & Hilbish at 326 E Orange Ave, Eustis, FL at 10 am on January 24, 2026. Family is welcome for a viewing at 9 am. Family and Friends are welcome for a viewing at 9:30 am. We will also be holding a grave side service for the burial at Good Shepard Memorial Gardens, 5050 SW 20th Street, Ocala, FL at 2 pm. You are welcome to attend both or either one, whichever works best for you. And we welcome you to share a memory about Challan at the graveside service.
https://www.HamlinHilbish.com has her funeral information available.
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