Richard Nathaniel Harris

1934 - 2019

Richard Nathaniel Harris, affectionately known to his family and friends as Dick, passed away peacefully on October 10, 2019, at the age of 85 after a short illness, surrounded by his loved ones. Dick was born on August 2, 1934 in Morristown, New Jersey. His loving family will cherish their memories of him; his wife of 62 years, Jo Ann Fleming Harris; 5 children, Stephen James Harris and wife Patsy; Keith William Harris and wife Anne; Richard N. Harris II and wife Charo; Wendy Hymel and partner Jeff; and Toni Jennings and husband Scott; 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, and good friends. Dick was preceded in death by his father John Jackson Harris, his mother Evelyn Messersmith Harris, his brother John Jackson Harris II, and his sister Barbara Harris Crawford. Dick graduated from Fortier High School in New Orleans and attended the University of Texas at El Paso while based at Fort Bliss serving in the Army as an instructor. He maintained a sixty-year friendship with several of his Army buddies and enjoyed their annual reunions. While stationed there, he met and married the love of his life, Jodie, and began his family, later settling in Metairie. Dick and his father began their own tool and equipment business in 1959. This fledgling tool business eventually became a major competitor in the field in the greater New Orleans area. After his father's retirement, Dick continued to grow his successful business until he retired in December of 1999. In addition to being a successful businessman, he was an avid sports fan, and for years was a Saints and Tulane season ticket holder. One of his greatest joys was being a member of the Tulane Boosters Club and attending their many functions. He also enjoyed many Cubs games from the luxury of his recliner. Dick was a true family man, generous to a fault, and relished every occasion to spend time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Friends were also a big part of his life – he had a natural ability to make friends with anyone. He had a memory for detail and could converse on numerous topics from "The Honeymooners" to his favorite opera, LaBoheme. He had a joke for every subject, and told stories that spanned decades of family and national history. Dick was very active in his community and gave much of his time to service organizations. He was a former president of the Lafreniere Lion's Club and a charter member, board member, and Elder Emeritus of the First Christian Church of Greater New Orleans. In recent years, he served on the St. Charles Parish Council of Aging and the St. Charles Hospital Patient Advisory Committee. Dick volunteered at the St. Charles Hospital along with his wife, Jodie. Dick and Jodie traveled whenever possible, not only to visit their children and grandchildren, but to explore the world. After their last family vacation to Tennessee, Dick spent a short time at Passages Hospice, before leaving the life he loved so dearly. A memorial service will be held at First Christian Church of Greater New Orleans, 8121 Airline Drive in Metairie, LA on Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. The family thanks the staff at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Ochsner Hospital, and Passages Hospice for their attentive care to Dick during his illness. As a military veteran, his ashes will be interred at Southeast Louisiana Military Cemetery in Slidell at a later date.