| Graduation Year | Class of 1974 |
| Date of Passing | Aug 02, 2013 |
| About | In Loving Memory of Dennis Carter Harris (September 13, 1956 - August 2, 2013) It would be difficult to give a traditional eulogy for Dennis…..after all, he was about as unique as they come. That was evident from the day he was born. And, quite evident the day he showed up at Billy Knauss’s house at about 3 years old wearing nothing but a native American Indian headdress, a pair of red shorts, and a mischievous smile. He was ready to play and well-dressed for the occasion! His numerous escapades with Billy are legendary, and reminiscent of a TV show at the time……Dennis the Menace. The only difference was that Dennis the Menace did his work alone and Dennis Harris had a partner in crime. Oak Street would never be the same! Although we have been in shock since Friday morning, we have also found ourselves sharing stories and laughing out loud at his exploits. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, we don’t have pictures of all of them! There was the time he almost burned the Oak Street house down and asked Billy to help him put it out with a couple of water cups, the time he got caught playing doctor with Vicki next door…at age 5!, or the time he opened everyone’s Christmas presents on Christmas Eve and blamed it on Eric who could barely walk at the time! It’s appropriate that we’re here today, at Valley Presbyterian Church. Right now, we’re sitting a short distance from where Dennis grew up. It’s also where he taught his little brother how to get free cokes from the church vending machine. As he explained through missing front teeth, you just bring a bottle opener and cup to the machine located next to the drinking fountain, pop the cap off one of the bottles stacked behind the chilled door, and fill your cup. Dennis was always very helpful that way! Dennis graduated from Arizona State University and landed a nice job at IBM in Tucson in the Purchasing Department. He fell in love with Tucson and his wife, Karen. He also made lots of good lifelong friends there like Don Dour, Dan Susmilch, and many others. Needless to say, we won’t be sharing any Rocky Point stories here today. The one constant was the Southwest. As Dennis, Karen, and Stefanie moved to new homes and jobs, they always stayed in Southern Arizona, whether it was Tubac, Green Valley, or Tucson. Dennis loved the desert and all it had to offer. In summary, on behalf of our family, please remember Dennis for what he taught us, laugh at our shared experiences, and treasure the time we had with him. He will be missed greatly, but not forgotten. |
