Charles Harris

Charles "Raymond" Harris, 86, of Kingsport, TN, passed away Monday evening, January 25, 2010, at the VA Hospital in Johnson City, TN. Raymond was born in Erwin, TN, and lived his entire life in Kingsport. He was a WWII veteran and a Purple Heart recipient. He was in the US Navy and was a machinist on the USS Zeilin in the Pacific Arena. After the war Raymond worked in refrigeration at the Southern Maid, then Foremost Dairies, and retired at the age of 70 from the Sullivan County Board of Education Maintenance Department. He also had his own business, Harris Refrigeration.

Raymond was preceded in death by his parents, Sarah Tipton Harris and Levi Harris; brothers, J. D. Harris and James Harris; and sisters, Alice Strickler, Virginia Skrinski, and Dorothy Kidd.

Raymond is survived by his wife of 63 years, Helen Jean Brickey Harris, of Kingsport; children, Lance Harris and wife, Jackie, of Ironton, OH, and Marci Harris Clark and husband Billy, of Cookeville, TN, and Len Harris, of Kingsport; grandchildren, Lisa Smith and husband, Shawn, of Ashland, KY, Landon Harris and wife, Holly, of Maryville, TN, Troy Clark and wife, Tracy, of Maryville, Alana Huddleston and husband, Chad, of Silver Point, TN, Ashley Tyson and husband Murphy, of Maryville, Kelsey Harris, of Pedro, OH, Samantha Bryant and husband, Nick, of Kills Hill, OH, Joy O'Neal and husband, Michael, of Kingsport; ten great-grandchildren; four great great-grandchildren; brothers, Earl Harris and wife Eve, of San Lorenzo, CA, Keener Harris and wife, Barbara, of Powell, TN, Wayne Harris and wife, Ina, of Church Hill; sister-in-law, Goldie Harris, of Gray; and many loving nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 until 7:00 Friday evening at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes, Kingsport.

Services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home chapel, with Rev. Willie Duffy officiating and Sheila Lamb providing the music.

Burial will be Monday, February 1, 2010, at 12 noon in Oak Hill Memorial Park with military honors conducted by American Legion Post #3/265.

Serving as pallbearers will be Landon Harris, Troy Clark, Chad Huddleston, Mike O'Neal, Tyson Murphy, and Nick Bryant. Honorary pallbearers will be Raymond's nephews.

The family would like to express a special thank-you for the wonderful caregivers in Raymond's life: Fellowship House, Gate City, VA Sheila, Pat, Reba, and Linda, Amedsys Home Care Mark and Diane, Home Instead Donna, Willie Duffey, the special nurses on the 2nd floor of the Community Living Center at the VA Hospital, the "angel" Dr. Angela May at the VA Hospital, and special friends, Mary Wimbish Arnold and Jake Wimbish. We will always remember the love you gave to Raymond.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, P. O. Box 2827, Cookeville, TN 38506.