Stanley John Harris

Stanley John Harris moved on to the next phase of his existence the morning of 10/19/2010, succumbing to bladder cancer at the age of 88 years, 11 months and 19 days. He leaves behind his wife of 58 years, Lucy; his daughter Susan and his son-in-law, John; his daughter, Linda; his son, Robert, his daughter-in-law Kristen and his two granddaughters, Angela and Jill; and his dog, Farrah. Stanley was born on 10/30/1921 in Poultney, VT to Anna and Joseph Harris. Stanley spent most of his youth growing up in Albany, NY with his brother John and his mother, after his Dad died early in Stanley’s life. He graduated from Philip Schuyler High School in Albany and then served his country in WWII on a hospital ship from September 1942 through January 1946 as a Sergeant Major in the Army in the Pacific. After the war, Stanley’s bachelor days were spent attending Sienna College in Loudonville, NY, bowling, and wooing Lucy Mele, whom he married on 8/16/1952. During his adulthood, Stanley provided financial and emotional support for his family. He successfully put all three of his kids through college, had a long and successful career at Tennessee Gas Pipeline (working in Nassau NY, Hudson Massachusetts, Enfield CT and Buffalo NY) from which he retired as a Division Accountant in 1986, lost at the Saratoga horseracing track each August vacation, rooted for the hapless NY Giants (whose poor performance he correlated to Linda’s birth in 1960 but who was later relieved of her burden when the Giants won the Super Bowl in 1986) and worked on developing his handyman skills that would serve him well in retirement. Retirement had Stanley and Lucy moving from Buffalo, NY to Atlanta. During these retirement years, Stanley and Lucy traveled the US seeing the sites and visiting their children. They also visited Robert and his family in France. Stanley finally perfected his handyman skills and worked on each of his kids’ homes and on many neighbor projects. Linda clearly benefited the most from many unpaid hours of landscaping and handyman services. Up until his last days, he mowed Linda’s yard and assisted in a neighbor’s emergency plumbing needs. No one who lived in Stanley’s neighborhood can forget seeing him walk Farrah three times a day for 10 years regardless of rain, sleet, snow or recent surgery. As Stanley battled through his cancer, he did so with a pragmatism, physical strength, and fortitude that are a lasting testament to the man he was in life. He will be greatly missed. A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, October 25th at St. Thomas More Catholic Church with Father Brian Lorei officiating. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Longleaf Hospice, 2712 Lawrenceville Highway, Suite 200, Decatur, GA 30033. The family will receive friends Monday one hour prior to the service at the church. A. S. Turner & Sons

Funeral Home:
AS Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033