James Harris

Beloved father and friend, James Harris, 88, of Connersville, died Friday morning, March 7, 2014, at Reid Hospital, Richmond. An Owsley County Kentucky native, James was born October 10, 1925 to Lewis and Vicie Richardson Harris and attended Grassy Branch School in Ricetown, Kentucky. James served in World War II with Company B, 29th Infantry Regiment and was decorated with the Army of Occupation Medal. On September 28, 1950, James was married to the former Madelon Amis, who died July 6, 2005. He worked at Ford Motor Company on the Assembly line for 35 years before retiring in 1985. James was a past member of Calvary Baptist Church and Baptist Temple, of Connersville and a member of the I.U.E. Local 919. He enjoyed being outside and reading, especially The Booneville Sentinel. James never forgot his Kentucky roots, his ties to the people or the land that will forever remain in his heart. James is survived by his son Richard D. “Rick” Harris of Grand Forks, North Dakota; his daughter: Sharon G. Parvis of Connersville; his sisters: Leona Brown and her husband Elvie of Riverside, Ohio and Myrtle Kemper of Eubank, Kentucky; several nieces and nephews and special daughters Karen Harris of Ramstein, Germany and Michaelle Jones of Connersville. In addition to his parents and wife, James was preceded in death his infant son: Gary Harris; nine siblings: Herman, Delbert, Steve, Willie, Lewis, Wayne and Hiram Harris; Lucy Staup, and Norma Jean Coffey. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Showalter Blackwell Long Funeral Home, Myers Chapel, Connersville. Interment will follow in Dale Cemetery with military honors conducted by the Fayette County Veterans Council. Friends may visit at the funeral home from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday where memorial contributions may be made to the Lord’s Table or the Fayette County Public Library.