Obituary of Gerald W. Harris

Major Gerald W. Harris, 67 years, of Conesville, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010, after a brief illness in St. Peter's Hospital in Albany. Jerry was born in Paterson, NJ on Jan. 17, 1943, son of the late William L. and Caroline L. (Barwick) Harris. He was a graduate of Wayne High School, in NJ, received his BS at Newark College of Engineering and his MBA from the University of Utah. Major Harris entered the US Air Force in 1966 and served at McDill AFB in Tampa, FL; Viet Nam; Lindsey Air Station in Wiesbaden, Germany and retired from the Air Force as Base Civil Engineer of Westhampton Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, LI. After retiring from the Air Force, he went to work as Deputy Commissioner of Public Works for the City of White Plains, from where he retired. He held several positions as an officer of the American Legion for both Babylon and Conesville posts. Besides his parents, Jerry was predeceased by his sister, Marion Payne, his only sibling. Surviving is his wife, Beverly (DeGraff) Harris, his daughter, Traci Harris, his son, Master Chief Kenneth W. Harris (Bonnie-Jean) and three grandchildren, Matthew P. and Kaylee L. Harris and Samantha R. Criveau. Funeral service will be Friday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. at the Gilboa U.M. Church, RT 990V, Gilboa, NY. Friends may call at the Cunningham Funeral Home, 4898 SR 81, Greenville, on Thursday from 3 to 8 PM. Susquehanna Trails American Legion Post#1764 will conduct a service at 7PM. In lieu of flowers, donation may be made in Jerry's memory to the Gilboa U.M. Church, PO Box 45, Grand Gorge, NY 12434. Light a candle at ajcunninghamfh.com.