BRIAN L. HARRIS

Aug. 6, 2014

 

Brian L. Harris, 73, died Wednesday, August 6, 2014, in Washington, NC.

He was born and grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he developed a life-long passion for fly-fishing and music, and met his future wife Jerri Elsberry Harris in high school.  They married in Marburg, Germany, on December 13, 1963, where he was studying philosophy on a Fulbright scholarship. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2013 with family, friends, and the jazz music they loved.

Brian earned a PhD from The University of Texas at Austin, taught at Grinnell College, in Grinnell, Iowa, and retired with emeritus status in 2004 from the East Carolina University Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in Greenville, NC.

He was preceded in death by his parents Leon Lynn and Lamae Rapp Harris, and  brother Jerry Lynn Harris.

He is survived by his beloved wife and family: daughter Kendra Harris, son-in-law Richard Kiely, and grandsons Jackson and Riley Morse of Greenville, NC; sister-in-law Kathryn Hansen and her daughter Amanda of Washington State; and his aunt Charlene Hendrickson and uncle Mackay Harris, and extended family members in Idaho.

Brian loved reading and writing poetry.  Recently he wrote the following:

This is what it will be like to die . . .

What is seen and heard will move inward toward memory,

will change to become memories of themselves.

The family plans a gathering with family and friends to celebrate his life at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718, or online at https://mdonate.cancer.org.

Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com.

Paul Funeral Home & Crematory of Washington is honored to serve the Harris family.