PHILIP HARRIS 81 OF FERNANDINA BEACH, FL. PASSED AWAY SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2017 IN JACKSONVILLE, FL.
MR. HARRIS WAS BORN IN BUENA VISTA, GEORGIA IN 1935, THE ELDEST SON OF THE LATE SWEAT AND MARGIE HARRIS OF MARION COUNTY, GEORGIA. HE SPENT HIS EARLY YEARS IN MARION COUNTY AND GRADUATED FROM MARION COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, GEORGIA SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE IN AMERICUS, GA. AND EARNED HIS BACHELOR OF ARTS IN HISTORY DEGREE FROM GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY IN ATLANTA, GA.
HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN THE UNITED STATE NAVY AND WAS STATIONED IN THE PHILLIPPINES. HE RETURNED TO THE STATES AND WORKED IN THE WHOLESALE HARDWARE INDUSTRY. HE WAS A BORN SALESMAN, HAVING INHERITED HIS �HARRIS CHARM� FROM HIS FATHER, HE COULD LITERALLY SELL AN �ICEBOX TO AN ESKIMO� RETIRING IN 1998 FROM THE ACE HARDWARE CORPORATION.
IN HIS GOLDEN YEARS HE DISCOVERED THE LOVE OF WRITING AND HE SOON BEGAN AND MAINTAINED A POLITICAL COMMENTARY BLOG, WROTE NUMEROUS SHORT STORIES AND IN 2016, HE PUBLISHED A NOVEL SET DURING THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES.
FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS, HE WAS A MASTER MASON AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE MOROCCO SHRINE TEMPLE IN JACKSONVILLE AND THE FERNANDINA BEACH SHRINE CLUB WHERE HE WAS SERVING AS THE SHRINE CLUB SECRETARY.
HE LEAVES BEHIND HIS WIFE, AMY, HIS TWO SONS, MATT HARRIS OF BUENA VISTA, GA., AND MITCH AND LORI HARRIS OF LIMESTONE, TN., HIS TWO BROTHERS CHARLIE HARRIS OF BUENA VISTA, GA, AND REX HARRIS OF BOX SPRINGS, GA. AND HIS BELOVED GRANDCHILDREN,
HUNTER AND SCOUT.
SERVICES WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY JULY 1, 2017 AT 10:00 AM AT THE BUENA VISTA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN BUENA VISTA, GEORGIA. HE WILL REST WITH HIS FATHER AND MOTHER IN THE BUENA VISTA CEMETERY.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY REQUESTS THAT MEMORIALS MAY BE MADE TO THE SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN , 12502 USF PINE DRIVE, TAMPA, FL. 33612-9411