Amsterdam authorities are making a public appeal for information about Lucia Mildred Harris, a Suriname-born woman who will receive a solitary funeral after being discovered deceased in her Amsterdam-Zuid apartment with no known surviving relatives or social connections.
The 66-year-old woman was found lifeless in her Cornelis Trooststraat residence on January 7th after a concerned neighbor, who hadn’t seen her for approximately a month, alerted police. Forensic investigation confirmed Harris died of natural causes, ruling out any criminal involvement.
Despite extensive efforts by Amsterdam municipal authorities to locate next of kin, friends, or acquaintances, no personal connections have been identified. This has prompted the Foundation for Solitary Funerals Amsterdam (Stichting De Eenzame Uitvaart Amsterdam) to organize a dignified burial service for Harris, ensuring she receives proper funeral rites despite her apparent isolation.
The upcoming ceremony will feature poet Antoine de Kom reciting a poem specially composed in Harris’s honor. The foundation will also document the proceedings for archival purposes.
Limited biographical information exists about Harris’s life. While it remains unclear when she emigrated from Suriname to the Netherlands, records indicate she attended the Charles Montaigne Fashion Academy in Amsterdam in 1980 before studying French at the University of Amsterdam. Her post-graduate professional life and potential career sector remain unknown.
The foundation expressed particular surprise that an educated and well-groomed woman would apparently lack any visible social network. They are now issuing an explicit appeal to readers in Suriname and the Surinamese community in the Netherlands who might have known Harris or possess information about her family background and life story.
The funeral is scheduled for this Friday in Amsterdam. Those with relevant information or potential family connections who wish to attend the service are encouraged to contact the Foundation for Solitary Funerals Amsterdam directly.