Robert Harriss

Robert Harriss, age 99 of Lynnfield, passed away peacefully on Tuesday April 1, 2025 at Sunrise Assisted Living in Lynnfield.

He was born in Swampscott on September 5, 1925 and was the son of the late John and Anna (Tully) Harriss.

In 1938 he moved from Lynnfield to Stafford, England with his family, where he lived and attended Downside School, a boarding school in Sommerset England. In 1943 Robert had a desire to enlist in the military, it was important to him as an American citizen to become a member of the U.S. Marine Corp. He was the first ever United States Marine to be recruited in England. He served as an active-duty Marine Lieutenant during World War II.

After his service in the military, he attended Boston University and graduated with a degree in business and began working in his family business.

As his career advanced, he eventually took over from his dad and grew the business even further. International Advisory Service still exists today, is in its 4th generation and is now run by Robert’s son Peter. He had been a Lynnfield resident for over 80 years, and enjoyed fishing, reading, and spending summers on Cape Cod.

He was the beloved husband of Barbara (Falco). He is predeceased in death by his first wife Elinor (Barnes). He was the loving father of Robert Harriss Jr. and his wife Rachel, Sue Harriss Adams and her husband Bill, Jack Harriss and his wife Eileen, Peter Harriss and his wife Jackie, and Pamela Richard and her husband Gregg. Robert was the brother of Anne Bugbee of Bennington, VT, and the late Jack, Donald, and Jean Heath. He was also the grandfather to Mark, Molly, Sophie, Hugh, Bridget, Ted, Anna, Katelin, Scott, Alexandra, Abby, Cameron, and Great Grandfather to nine. He was predeceased by his granddaughter, Laurie. 

Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave, Wakefield from 10am - noon on Friday, April 4th with a funeral service beginning promptly at noon. Followed immediately by interment, at Willow Cemetery, Lynnfield.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers a donation be made in Robert’s memory to;

Wounded Warrior Project; www.woundedwarriorproject.org

MDSC (Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress); www.mdsc.org