Winfred Harris

Obituary of Winfred Harris
Winfred Harris was born in Prescott, Arkansas on January 25, 1948. Winfred, and his twin brother Winston, were welcomed into the world by their parents, George Glyndon Harris and Lydia Dessel Harris. Winfred was one of ten children born to his mother and father.
Winfred spent the early years of his life on the family farm in Delight, Arkansas. His family farmed corn and cotton. At the age of five, the family moved to New Iberia, Louisiana. In New Iberia, he enjoyed exploring the Louisiana swamp country, while hunting and fishing with his father and twin brother. He spent many hours paddling his father around in their boat setting out trout lines in the Intercoastal canals. They caught all types of fish and turtles. They traded fish with local farmers, in exchange for their vegetables. They also liked to go into the bays to catch shrimp.
When he was a junior in high school, Winfred and his family moved back to their family farm in Arkansas. It was there that he, and his twin brother, spent a great deal of time helping their father clear the wooded portion of their property. Using hand axes, and lots of elbow grease, they were responsible for chopping down all the underbrush. They regularly worked seven days a week to get it cleared.
When Winfred was eighteen, he acquired a job at a local sawmill. He worked there until his older brother George was able to secure him a job in St. Louis at McDonald Douglass. He was a sheet metal worker and worked on the wing sections of the legendary U.S. Air Force F-4 Phantom fighter jets. Winfred was responsible for riveting the wing sections of the plane, and responsible for what the sheet-metal workers called "placing the skin on the plane".
In 1967, Winfred signed up as a volunteer for the United Sates Navy. He was sent to San Diego for his basic training. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War from 1967-1971. He was a proud member of the "Fighting Tigers" Patrol Squadron 8. His squadron was tasked with tracking Russian subs during the height of the Cold War. Winfred worked on aviation electronics on the P-3 B Orion aircraft. When he wasn't working on the aviation electronics of the P-3, he would earn extra money by volunteering to join fighter jet pilots practicing dog-fight maneuvers. He spoke about how exciting it was to accompany the pilots on their arial maneuvers. He was stationed in Patuxent River, Maryland and Brunswick, Maine. He visited the Azores, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Barbados, Venezuela, Guatemala, and Cuba during his naval service.
After his service in the Navy, he eventually took over a printer press servicing company called Stover Services. He dedicated forty years of his life to servicing the printing presses of various school districts and colleges in the Houston area. He made a good living through his business, and he provided a good life for his family. He retired from the business in 2019.
Winfred was the ultimate family man. He loved spending time with his daughter and son, and he loved spending time with their families. Because he was so focused on his family, he personally created a backyard paradise, which he shared with his children and grandchildren. He built a gazebo and an outdoor kitchen, as well as, maintained his pool and hot tub so that he could host family barbeques and pool parties. It was the perfect place for spending quality time with his family.
Winfred was a wonderful Pawpaw. He loved his grandchildren dearly. He wanted to be around them, and he wanted to be an active part of their lives. He attended their extracurricular events. He spent many hours at baseball tournaments, football games, volleyball tournaments, track meets, swim meets, choir concerts, and so many other activities. He was always there to cheer them on and to offer them advice on how to improve in their sports or life endeavors. His grandchildren loved spending time with their Pawpaw. They loved eating popcorn and watching movies with him. They loved swimming in his pool, and they loved getting donuts in the morning with him. But some of their best memories came from their early morning fishing trips with their Pawpaw.
As for his children, he loved them dearly. He would do anything for them. His children knew that if they needed help, all they had to do was give him a call. He helped his children, and their families, by building fences, creating concrete patios, building backyard decks, trimming trees, and repairing cars. He would show up early on Saturdays, and he would devote his weekend to helping his family whenever they needed it.
Winfred was preceded in death by his parents George Glyndon Harris and Lydia Dessel Harris, and his brothers Jon Wilmer Harris and George Glyndon Harris Jr. Survivors include his children Melissa Harris- Dines (Shane), and Bryan Harris (Ryane); grandchildren, Henry Dines, Emma Dines, Christopher Harris and Mackenzie Harris; brothers, Winston Harris (Betty), Tommy Harris (Susan), Walter Harris (Sandy), Joe Harris (Darla), Sam Harris; sisters Lena Kravertz (Mike), and Maude Irving.