La Grande, Oregon
Harold Reed Harris, 82, of Sacramento, Calif., and formerly of La Grande died Oct. 26 from complications of pneumonia. There will be a reception for friends to visit with his family Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Loveland Funeral Chapel. A private family memorial service will follow on Saturday.
Mr. Harris was born Nov. 9, 1923, in Fort Duchesne, Utah, to Leonard Reed Harris and Martha Kitchen Harris, the seventh of eight sons. He spent his entire childhood in the Uintah Basin region and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1940. He served in the Navy in the Pacific region during World War II.
After the war, he attended Brigham Young University, where he met and married Velma June Schmidt on June 10, 1946, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He and his wife were the parents of five children.
He graduated from the University of Utah in 1952. The family then moved to Portland, where he taught school for several years, then returned to Provo, Utah, where he obtained a master’s degree in counseling from BYU.
He spent more than 30 years in education, as a teacher and then as a counselor, particularly in the Parkrose School District.
He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in every organization of the church. He and his wife also served four missions for the church.
In 1997, he and his wife moved to La Grande to be near family. A two-time stroke survivor, Harold never quit striving to keep going and stay active.
When he was forced to give up driving and use a walker, he purchased a motorized scooter, which he rode throughout his La Grande neighborhood, visiting with friends and neighbors.
Following the death of his wife, he moved to Sacramento to live with his daughter, Julie, and her family.
He loved helping people. He also enjoyed gardening and grew vegetables, raspberries and roses.
Survivors include his children and their spouses, Lynn and Jan Harris and Mark and Linda Harris, all of La Grande, Paul and Lori Harris of Vancouver, Wash., and Julie and Dan Elliott of Sacramento; brothers, Glen Harris of Bullhead City, Ariz., and Ken Harris of Bountiful, Utah; half siblings, Vaughn Harris of Loa, Utah, and Janine Petross of Fairview, Utah; 22 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Velma, a daughter, Dianne Payne, and five brothers.
Memorials may be made to the Cosumnes River College Adaptive P.E. Program, the LDS Church Humanitarian Aid Fund or the Perpetual Education Fund in care of Loveland Funeral Chapel, 1508 Fourth St., 7850.
The Observer, Obituaries For The Week Ending Nov. 11, 2006, Published: November 11, 2006