William H. "Bill" Harris

Beloved patriarch of the Harris family, honored member of The Greatest Generation, and resident of The Gardens Retirement Center in Lake Charles, LA, (2010-present) passed away peacefully on the morning of October 21, 2017.

Enlisting prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and US involvement in WWII (enlistment, April of 1941), this US Army Air Corp and US Air Force Veteran completed over 24 years of active service to his nation over the period of three wars: WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. He retired from active service in August of 1966 at the rank of LTC, obtaining Senior Air Force Crew Member status with a career total of 2302 flight hours.  His highest military award is a Distinguished Flying Cross awarded for Courage in Combat actions on August 8, 1945, over Tokyo, Japan, as a Navigator Bombardier on the lead B29 aircraft from the 458th Bomber Squadron /  330th Bomber Group / 314th Bomber Wing / 20th Bomber Command, US Army Air Corps, Mariana’s Island, Guam. He was also the recipient of an Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster for his successful completion of 15 combat missions (232 combat hours) in the WWII Pacific Theater from March 28, 1945, until the end of hostilities with Japan on August 14, 1945.

As a veteran, in his family life, and in all walks of life, Bill was a man of integrity and honor. The phrase “Duty to God and Country” just begins to point to what motivated Bill Harris and what inspired everyone who knew him. Bill’s life was defined by an unwavering devotion to and pride in his loving and prolific family, a clan now 37 strong. Married December 10, 1943, this 67-year marriage to Geraldine “Jerry” Honeycutt Harris stood as an enduring example of the highest devotion and deepest love this union can inspire. Sadly, Jerry preceded him in death in 2011.

Through the years, Bill and Jerry were faithful members of United Methodist churches during which he pioneered Prison Outreach programs at several churches, a ministry that provided for the children and families of inmates. His heart for service was huge and he always turned a willing hand to the work of the church and the communities it served, including multiple capacities of professional leadership including Scout Coordinator and Church Deacon.

He served as a Delegate to the Louisiana United Methodist Church Conference and later received the distinguished Torch Award presented by the Conference in recognition of his exceptional service in the promotion of youth-serving agencies such as Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Most recently, Bill was a member of St. Luke-Simpson United Methodist Church in Lake Charles, LA.

Bill’s devotion to service extended outside the church as well. In addition to reaching Life Scout rank as a youth he worked actively as a volunteer with Girl Scouts of America seeing his 3 daughters all achieve the rank of First Class Scout, the highest rank available at that time.  He became active in Boy Scouts of America as an adult volunteer seeing his son reach the rank of Eagle Scout.  While supporting his wife’s career as an Executive Director of multiple Girl Scout Councils Bill continued to be active as a volunteer and was instrumental in the acquisition and development of two Girl Scout Council Resident Camps, in different states. He was proud to be a 60-year plus member of these youth organizations.

Upon obtaining his undergraduate degree in Botany from Ontario Agricultural College, Canada, in 1940, Bill’s love of and respect for nature was just beginning. This passion thrived throughout his life and culminated in his Pelican Greenhouse business where he happily indulged his green thumb growing hundreds of Easter Lilies and Poinsettias each year for churches to use for their seasonal altar presentations.

In addition to his Botany degree, Bill went on to achieve a BS in Mathematics from Louisiana State University (LSU) in 1949 and an MS in Mathematical Digital Computations from Stanford University, CA, in 1957. He was a Mathematics Instructor at LSU from 1949-1950 and a Mathematics & Statistics Instructor at Purdue University from 1950-1951. He was also a member of Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Fraternity and Mu Sigma Rho National Statistics Honorary Society.

Other distinguished personal achievements included being a 32nd Degree Master Mason with over 64 years in the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana, Lodge #297; a career as a U.S. Government Civilian Contractor; and working for LSU’s Department of Wetland Resources. 

Bill is preceded in death by his father and mother, William John Charles and Adelaide Delhommeau Harris, and brother, 2LT Leon Francis Harris, all of Braintree, MA;  his sister, Dorothy Harris Barnes of Gales Ferry, CT; his grandson, Bryan Alexander Reddy of Mansfield, OH; and his beloved wife, Geraldine “Jerry” Honeycutt Harris. He is survived by 3 daughters and 1 son (Adel and Jeff Murphy of Lake Charles, LA; Cindy and Steven Reddy of League City, TX; Karen and Dennis Wall of Marietta, GA: Carleton and Lynda Harris of Ball Ground, GA); 9 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandchild; numerous nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.

There’s not one of the surviving family members who can’t vividly see Bill and Jerry joyfully together again now, coming full-circle from that first meeting during Bill’s assignment as a Flight Navigational Instructor at Selman Field in Monroe, LA, in 1942. 

The family would like to express special words of thanks to the Staff of The Gardens and Guardian House for their concern and loving care. To Buck Fellows, Brenda Ardoin, to the staff of Harbor Hospice, and to Micky Woodard (a member of Care Committee outreach at St. Luke Simpson Methodist Church) who brightened so many of Bill’s days. Your gift of caring was truly a blessing to us.

Services will be at Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery in Monroe, LA, on Saturday, October 28, 2017, from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. at the Mausoleum in the Park. Open-casket viewing will be from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m. and closed-casket visitation will be from 1:00-2:00 p.m.  Interment will follow with graveside services shortly after 2:00 p.m.

In Lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made “In Memory of LTC (USAF Retired) William “Bill” Harris”, to the Louisiana Methodist Conference Bishop’s Scholarship Fund (c/o St. Luke-Simpson United Methodist Church, 1500 Country Club Road, Lake Charles, LA 70605).