Dr. Richard M. Harrison

Richard Miller Harrison, Ph.D., age 77, passed away at his residence in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, shortly after midnight on Thursday, July 21. Richard was born the second child to Roy Miller Harrison and Pauline (Boswell) Harrison, in the rural town of Pineville, KY on April 8, 1939. He married Joanna Schafer on August 11, 1962 and was the father of two children, Brian Harrison and Greg Harrison. In 1968, Richard enrolled as a graduate student at Michigan State University, and in 1973, he successfully defended his doctorate in Reproductive Physiology and began his career as a research scientist at Tulane Regional Primate Center in Covington, Louisiana. Richard was a prolific scientist who authored scores of research papers and three textbooks. In the early 1980s, his research supported development of a simian model of the HIV virus and in 1981 he was elected President of the American Society of Andrology. In the 1990s, he was appointed Associate Professor at Tulane University's School of Medicine in New Orleans and was a Distinguished Service Award Winner from the American Society of Primatologists. One of Richard's favorite quotes is, "It is better to be wrong once in a while than to never be right." To his wife Joanna, Richard was a devoted and loving husband; to his community, he was a stalwart supporter of Covington's First Baptist Church as a deacon and Sunday School teacher. And to his sons, Dad was an inspiring example of what hard work and commitment could bring. After Joanna's passing in 2002, Richard reconnected with a childhood friend from Kentucky, Judy Cooke, who had since relocated to Hawaii. Richard and Judy married on January 21, 2006. During retirement, he provided historic tours of Mokuaikaua church, the first Christian church established in the Hawaiian Islands. For ten years, Richard and Judy enjoyed the Hawaiian lifestyle and spending time with family. Before his passing, Richard said, "Life has been good to me." He was also good to life, making a difference in the world and in the lives of those who knew him. Richard will be fondly remembered for his love of science, his faith in God, and his dimples. A Celebration of Life will be held 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 13 at the New Hope Legacy Church, located at 73-4976 Kamanu Street, Kailua Kona, Hawaii 96740. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to any Alzheimer's Association. He is survived by wife, Judy Harrison of Kailua Kona, Hawaii; sons, Brian Harrison of Metairie, Louisiana, Greg (Vicki) Harrison of Rockville, Maryland; hanai daughter, Shari (Scott) Lindenberg of Kailua Kona, stepsons, Michael Brown of Pahrump, Nevada, Scott Brown of Ramona, California, Ron Brown of Henderson, Nevada; sister, Marilyn (Carl) Holland of Champagne, Illinois; four grandchildren.