Obituary of Mack Warren Harris Jr. of Richland Parish Louisiana as published in the Richland Beacon News, April 19, 2001 Submitted by for the USGenWeb Archives by Dot Golliher,11/01/2004 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** * Mack Warren Harris Jr. Funeral services for Mack warren Harris Jr., 61, of Start, LA, were held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, 2001, at the Start Baptist Church with the Rev. Jeff Smart officiating. Burial followed in the Greer Cemetery, under the direction of Brown- Holley Funeral Homes of Rayville. Mr. Harris was born October 13, 1979, and went to be with the Lord on Thursday, April 21, 2001, at the Glenwood Regional Medical Center after a long illness. He graduated from Rayville High School in 1957 and married Mary Ann Borden in 1959. They had two beautiful girls. He joined the Air Force in 1958 and served his country proudly until his retirement in 1978, serving two terms in the Philippines and fighting in Korea and in the Panama Canal Conflict. After becoming a civilian again in 1979, he worked in the advertising business with the Bell Telephone Service. Mr. Harris then went to work for the Louisiana State Veterans Affairs Office in 1988, until his health compelled him to take a disability retirement in 2000. He was a proud military man who continued to be involved in many organizations involving veterans. He was the commander of VFW Post #3375 of Rayville, a life time member of the Disabled American Veterans Association, and a member of the Start Baptist Church. Mr. Harris, spent his entire life fighting fir the veterans of this country—when everyone else gave up, he was there to pick up the pieces and keep on trying. He was a military man, through and through. He always aid, “never give up and fight for the things you deserve.” He held true to his word by winning numerous claims for disabled veterans, whom he earned as grateful friends. Many nights he received calls from Post Trauma Syndrome Disease veterans who were at the ends of their rope and he would give them hope from despair and a friendship they never forgot. Anyone who ever met or knew him could sense the love he had for his country and the men and women who fought for its freedom. Besides loving his country and working reverently for veterans, he also was a loving father, grandfather and husband. His girls and wife did everything he did. He taught them to hunt and such, because he never had a boy, he said, ”he had something just as good or better.” He had several hobbies, but most of all he loved spending time and playing with his grandchildren. His other hobbies were fishing, hunting and playing golf. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mattie Leigh Smith Harris and Mack Warren Harris Sr. Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Harris of Start, LA; his half sister, Mary Elizabeth Wilson of West Monroe, LA; his daughters, Marilyn Harris Williamson of Rayville, LA and Martha Harris Carroll and her husband, Robert, of Baton Rouge, LA; his grandchildren, Ben Harris Hallack, Rachel Michelle Hallack, Elijah McKenzie Carroll, Ethan Luke Carroll, Jeremy Lynn Williamson and Jonathan Lee Williamson.He also has many nieces and nephews. Serving as pallbearers were Russell Shoemaker, Wendel Shoemaker, LaVelle Borden, Johnny Salter, James Moore and Calvin McKenzie. Alternate pallbearers were Tommy Sims and Douglas Wilkerson. Honorary pallbearers were Dewin Dupont, Kenneth King, Kelly Lundy, J.C. Beavers, A.E. Gossett, Pete Whitman and Wayne McGee.