GEORGE HARRIS

HARRIS--George Irwin, age 98, died peacefully on the morning of May 26, 2025 in Jamesville, NY. Born December 5, 1926, George grew up in Beechhurst, in Queens, NY. After graduating from Bayside High School, George served in the U.S. Marine Corp as a Private First Class during World War II out of a sense of duty to fight for his country and for justice abroad. Upon his honorable discharge, George studied Government, first at Queens College, then at Harvard University, where he graduated magna cum laude. There, he met his wife, Katherine Safford Harris, the love of his life, to whom he was married for 71 years and who predeceased him on March 15, 2024. George graduated from Harvard Law School, received an MBA in Business Administration from NYU, and obtained an LLM in trade regulation from NYU Law School, after which he became Partner first at the firm of Burke & Burke and then Langer & Charles. He loved the law and serving his clients, and reveled in tricky legal issues to which he could put his sharp mind. George could often be found on warm summer nights engaging in spirited discussions with family and friends on law, politics, and history on the front porch of his summer home, "The Creamery", in Heath, Massachusetts. As much as he relished New York City life, George equally valued fresh produce from his vegetable garden, building stone walls and steps, chopping wood, and visiting with old friends at the Heath Fair, Historical Society, and Library. George loved the opera, wine and Kathy's wonderful meals, and was a voracious reader, reading books until he no longer physically could. George believed giving back and fighting for just outcomes was part of being a virtuous human being. He served as President of Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn and later was a member of Temple Concord in Syracuse, NY. He was Distinguished Trustee on the Board of Trustees of the Brooklyn Hospital Center (and earlier, Caledonian Hospital) and served on Community School Board 15 in Park Slope in Brooklyn. He helped found the West Brooklyn Independent Democrats, ran for local office, and gave throughout his life to progressive causes and candidates. George believed deeply in putting in the hard work to leave the world a better place than he found it. He and Kathy had two daughters, Maud White and Louise Harris, who they loved deeply and who they taught to be similarly empathetic and intellectually curious. George is survived by Maud and Louise, his son-in-law Alvin White, and his grandsons Samuel White and Jesse White. George's family loved him and will miss him very much. He was predeceased by his only sibling, his brother, Jack, and his parents, Harry and Beatrice Harris. George is buried with Kathy at Woodlawn Cemetery in Syracuse, NY, near Jamesville, where he and Kathy resided in their final years. A celebration of life for George and Kathy will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be provided in George's memory to the White-Harris Endowment Fund at Crouse Health in Syracuse, NY.