Vern William Harris (1968)

HARRIS, RICE, ADAMS

Posted By: Treva Patterson (email)
Date: 1/26/2007 at 18:21:32

Winterset Madisonian-Winterset, Iowa
April 1968

VERN WILLIAM HARRIS

Vern William Harris, son of Lee C. and Pearl Harris, was born in El Paso, Illinois on April 25, 1904. They moved to the Earlham community in the year 1907. He attended Earlham Consolidated School and graduated with the class of 1925. He was an outstanding athlete, playing football and baseball during his high school years. He attended college in Galesburg, Illinois and Des Moines University, where he continued to play the game he loved-football. He also won the title of "Strike Out King" in the game of softball.

He was united in marriage to Martha Rice, April 11, 1936. They moved to Grinnell, Iowa where they made their home for seven years. During that time, he was employed by the Morrison & Shultz Manufacturing Company as a glove cutter.

On September 2, 1942 he entered the armed service. On returning from the Army he moved to Burbank, California, where he was employed by the Lockheed Aircraft Company for two years. He then purchased a small glove business which he operated until his return to the Earlham community in 1948.

On June 1, 1950, a baby girl Rita Rae came to bless their home. During these years he was employed by Concrete Material & Construction Company and Gendler Stone Product Company. He was forced to retire from his work in 1966 because of failing health. During his illness he never complained and always retained his good sense of humor, which will always be one of his memorable traits.

He passed away at the Veterans hospital in Des Moines on April 15, 1968. He was laid to rest in the Earlham cemetery.

He will always be remembered as a kind and loving husband and father. He will be greatly missed by his loved ones and his many friends. He is survived by his wife, Martha of Earlham, daughter Rita and husband John M. Adams of Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. One brother, Dale of Ft. Myer, Florida and one sister, Ellen of Gray, Iowa