Fenton Frank "Spike" Harrison Jr.

Spike was born July 11, 1944, in Selma, Alabama at an army military base. He was the son of Fenton Harrison, Sr. and Barbara Fries Harrison. He grew up near Buffalo, New York participating in numerous social and sports organizations. He especially loved baseball initiating a lifelong love of the game.

Spike attended Duke University, Durham, North Carolina from 1962 to 1966. He played on the Duke Baseball team. In June 1966, he married Jane Weisner in Greensboro, North Carolina.

In 1967, He joined the US Navy as a commissioned officer. He had two tours of duty in Vietnam on two different ships. He was aboard the USS Yorktown when it retrieved the Apollo 8 astronauts and aboard the USS Hornet when they picked up the Apollo 11 astronauts after their famous moon walk.

After his naval discharge, he taught a few years in the Buffalo school system before transferring to the Roanoke County School System, Virginia in 1976. Spike worked in several Roanoke county schools before arriving at Glenvar High School where he taught numerous social studies classes, and recognized as teacher of the year in 1995.

Most importantly, Spike started the Glenvar High school girls softball team. He had many successful years, winning state championships in 1985, 1989, 1991, 1992 and 1997. He left coaching to serve on Roanoke County Board of Supervisors from 1996 to 1999.

He later returned to coaching and teaching until his retirement.

Spike died December 9th, 2025. He is preceded in death by his parents and his son, John Raymond Harrison. He is survived by his wife, Jane Weisner Harrison, and son, Fenton Frank Harrison, III.

His Celebration of Life service will be May 1st at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Roanoke. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to either the Unitarian Universalist Church of Roanoke, 2015 Grandin Road SW, Roanoke, Virginia 24015 or Davis McDaniel Veterans Care Center, 4550 Shenandoah Avenue, Roanoke, Virginia 24017.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Davis and McDaniel Veterans Care Center and especially the staff of 1-East for their excellent care.