Obit of Harris, Forest Delbert "Del" - Comanche County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 24 Jun 2007 Return to Comanche County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/comanche/comanche.html ===================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ===================================================================== ::Crestview Memorial Park Cemetery--Wichita Falls TX Becker Funeral Home Obit 26 Sep 2005 Forest Delbert “Del” Harris, M.D. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am Thursday at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1313 SW “D” Ave., Lawton, OK. Long time pediatrician and Lawton resident died on Monday evening, September 26, 2005 at the age of 82 after a hard fought battle with cancer to stand before the Lord. Burial will be 2:30 pm Thursday in the Crestview Memorial Park cemetery in Wichita Falls, Texas, under the direction of the Becker Funeral Home. Dr. Harris is survived by his loving wife and best friend of 44 years, June, of the home; two sons: Paul D. Harris and wife Sharon of Anchorage, Alaska, and Raymond H. Harris and wife Marydel of Dallas, Texas; six grandchildren: Mark and Barbara Harris of Anchorage, Stephen of Houston, Libby, Carrie, and Tim Harris of Dallas; one great granddaughter; Mother-in-law, Hazel Dell Mann of Wichita Falls; Brother-in-law, Oswald Edghill of St. Louis and numerous nieces and nephews. Dr. Harris was born February 23, 1923 in Barbados, British West Indies to a family of eight children and moved to Panama graduating valedictorian of Cristobal High School. During high school he worked for the United Fruit Company as a banana buyer and checker. After high school he worked as an assistant construction superintendent for McDonald Construction Co. for the building of the Panama Canal. He entered Washington University in St. Louis, MO in 1943 and was accepted for admission to Washington University School of Medicine. He entered service into the US Army prior to medical school where he served as a Japanese interpreter for General Headquarters during occupation of Japan. In preparation for this, he attended Yale University for two intensive years of language and cultural training. During his service in Japan he was acting commanding officer of his regiment and teacher at Tokyo Army College later honorably discharged with American citizenship. Upon return to the US, he was readmitted to Washington University medical school where he later graduated cum laude receiving the Borden Undergraduate Research Award for the class of 1951. Dr. Harris started his medical practice in Ardmore, OK in 1954 where he established the first pediatric practice, was active in the Carter County Medical Society, OK State Medical Society and the AMA. He received the Outstanding Optimist of the Year award in 1956 for the chapter he helped found. In 1957 Dr. Harris moved his practice to Lawton where he continued until his 2002 retirement. He was a rare physician being board certified in the two specialties of Pediatrics and Addiction Medicine becoming a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1962. He served as President and director for Comanche County Society, Chief of Pediatrics at Comanche County Memorial Hospital and on the Executive Committee of Southwestern Hospital. He was on staff of Oklahoma City Children’s Hospital and a consultant to Reynolds Army Community Hospital at Fort Sill. He also served on the board of Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma. His later career as a physician focused on the treating of alcoholism and other drug dependencies where he served as Medical Director of Taliaferro Community Mental Health Center. He established the Helen Holiday Home as a halfway home for women. He tirelessly championed efforts to help people in SW Oklahoma overcome alcohol and substance abuse during the past 20 years. Dr. Harris faithfully attended St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for 48 years serving on the Vestry and as a Sunday teacher. He enjoyed his many friends; his patients who commonly hugged him; his practice of medicine; his home known as “Melrose”; stamp collecting of Barbados; and his travels with June. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Building Fund. 1313 SW D Avenue, Lawton, Ok 73501 or to Hospice of Southwest Oklahoma, PO Box 2074, Lawton, Oklahoma 73502. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Comanche County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/comanche/comanche.html