By Staff
GREENVILLE — Dr. Gerald Harris, 76, of Greenville, died Wednesday, September 3, 2008, at the family’s home in Bath.
He was born November 25, 1931, in Camp Hill, Alabama, to the late O.G. Harris and Rowena Branch Harris.
Dr. Harris was a longtime professor and chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College), serving from 1966-1982. In 1982, he joined the faculty at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky, where he retired in 1994 as professor and director of doctoral studies.
Dr. Harris received the bachelor of arts degree from Phillips University and earned the bachelor of divinity and doctor of philosophy degrees from Vanderbilt University. He was a biblical scholar who did post-graduate study at Yale and Cambridge universities and conducted archeological research in the Holy Land. He was an ordained minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), serving multiple congregations in North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama.
Dr. Harris is survived by his wife, Dr. Patricia Hinson; two sisters, Rebecca Harris Roden of Auburn, Alabama, and Inez Harris Trotter of Dothan, Alabama; six children, John Harris and wife Janet Barnes Harris, of Wilson, N.C., Cynthia Barrow and husband, Dr. Doug Barrow, of Farmville, N.C., Elizabeth Walker and husband, James Walker, of Burlington, N.C., Jerry Harris and wife, Susan Barnes Harris, of Cary, N.C., Stephen Thomas Harris and Rebecca Lynn Harris, both of Greenville, N.C.; eight grandchildren, Elizabeth Cynthia Barrow, Christopher Douglas Barrow and wife, Melina Lozano Duran de Barrow, John Winston Harris, Lauren Branch Harris, Jennifer Leigh Harris, Michael Allen Harris, Caroline Gray Barrow and Jordan Patrick Walker; and two great-grandchildren, Natalie Oliver and Sawyer Johnson.
A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, September 5, at the First Christian Church in Greenville, located at 2810 E. 14th Street. The family will receive friends at a reception following the worship service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the First Christian Church of Greenville, P.O. Box 2366, Greenville, NC 27858 or Barton College, P.O. Box 5000, Wilson, NC 27893.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com. Paul Funeral Home of Washington, N.C., is in charge of arrangements.
Paid Obituary