Beckham County, OK - Obits: Alfred Rufus Harris, 1929
15 Mar 2008
Submitted by: delma25@pldi.net (Delma Tindell)

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HARRIS, ALFRED RUFUS
(30 May 1929, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
Alfred Rufus Harris, father of Mrs. Jack Nunley of Elk City, died very
suddenly at his home in Berlin last Tuesday afternoon.  Mr. Harris was
county superintendent of schools a number of years ago and has been
closely connected with the schools for about 20 years.  Interment was made
in Fairlawn cemetery last Wednesday.  Rev. J. T. Means officiated at the
ceremony.  The services at the grave were in charge of Masonic Lodge No.
195.
(4 Jul 1929, Elk City Newspaper, Elk City, Beckham Co, OK):
Mr. A. R. Harris died suddenly at his home in Berlin, Oklahoma, May 21,
1929, at the age of 68 years, 10 months and 8 days.
The funeral services were held in the Sayre church and the body was laid
to rest in the Fairlawn cemetery at Elk City.
Those surviving the deceased include his wife and five children, Mrs.
Eugene Rook of Sayre, Mrs. Jack Nunley of Elk City, Miss Elizabeth and
Rufus Harris of Sayre, Carl Harris of Berlin and many other relatives as
well as a host of friends.
In early life he was united with the Presbyterian church of which he was a
faithful and consecrated worker all of his life.  He served as elder of
the church in various places and was elder of the Sayre church at the time
of his death.
He was a faithful member of the Masonic and Oddfellow lodges at the time
of his death.  He gained a portion of his education at Lebanan, Tennessee,
the University of Tennessee, the National Normal school of Ohio and later
he entered the Central State Teachers College at Edmond.  There he
graduated and later took up special work in the University of Oklahoma,
Southwestern Teachers College and Agricultural and Mechanical college.
He spent his time in what he felt his life's calling, the teaching
profession in Tennessee, Texas and Oklahoma.  He has taught in Beckham,
Roger Mills and Custer counties in Oklahoma.  In a number of places he has
served as high school superintendent and also served as president of
different colleges.
He came to Oklahoma before the days of statehood and served a term as
county superintendent at Roger Mills county.  After statehood he served a
term as county superintendent at Beckham county.
He worked earnestly and fought bravely toward the developing of schools in
the pioneer days and has always continued his interest for better schools.
 He had a special interest in the teachers and young people.  He made many
long drives just to help students with an extra hard lesson and made time
more worthwhile to everyone he met.  Many of his former students are in
the leading profession of today as ministers, teachers, etc.
He sacrificed much for his friends.  So often had he said that a part of
his religion was visiting the sick and shut-in.  He worked faithfully all
day in the school room then scattered cheer and sunshine to the sick.  He
served as Sunday School superintendent in many places and always had a
special interest in the progress of the Sunday School and church work.  He
filled his place in the choir wherever he went.

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