Obituary – Jack L. Harris
Jack Lowell Harris, of Rolla, Mo., passed away Monday, January 6, 2025, at the age of 91.
He was born on October 13, 1933, in Edgar Springs, Mo., to the late George A. Harris and Sarah A. (Widener) Harris. On August 6, 1971, he married Barbara Conway Tryon Harris in Rolla, Mo. She preceded him in death on November 1, 2023. In addition to his parents and wife, Jack was also preceded in death by two brothers, Delbert Harris and Gerald Harris; three sisters, Marjorie Taylor, Lee Joy Willis and Juanita Faye Lyman; a daughter-in-law, Sue Tryon; and two brothers-in-law, Mac Conway and Das Conway.
Jack Harris was an amazing individual. Not only was he Barbara’s beloved husband for 52 years, but he was also a wonderful father, stepfather, father-in-law, grandfather, and GREAT grandfather to all the children of the Harris/Tryon clan.
There was nothing Jack couldn’t do if he put his mind to it. He could fix anything, be it electrical, mechanical, or automotive, and he was always ready to lend an expert helping hand to neighbors, friends, family – even strangers.
Although he played an active role in his community (both as County Assessor and as an Elder in his church), Jack was a rather shy, quiet sort of man. He was thoughtful in his countenance and wouldn’t speak unless he had something worthwhile to say; this made any advice he chose to share both reliable and precious.
However, under that soft-spoken demeanor lay the heart of a kid who loved comedy. Jack subscribed to the view that laughing often and with gusto was the best way to deal with the vicissitudes of life, and he generally searched for humor in most situations. It was one of his most endearing traits.
As his family will confirm, Jack was a skilled outdoorsman who loved Nature, a passion reflected in his professional-quality wood carvings of all sorts of birds. His True Claim to Fame, though, was his ability to catch fish anywhere, anytime, in any puddle that by all rights should NOT have a fish in it. He was known as “The Fish Whisperer” among his friends and family, and all who dropped a line with him were inevitably humbled by his mastery.
And finally, Jack loved a good adventure. When he was 80 years old, and Barbara a mere 84, they hopped in his truck and drove all the way to the California coast to be at their daughter’s wedding. That’s right, 2000 miles there and 2000 miles back. And yes, they did stop in Vegas to play the nickel slots. What sort of adventure would it be without a little gambling?
Jack will be greatly missed by his surviving family which includes: four daughters, Leslie Case of Jefferson City, Laura Tryon and husband, Mal Schwartz, of Carmel, Calif., Lenore Tryon, of Little Rock, Ark., and Loren Geringer and husband, Tim, of St. Louis; two sons, Steve Tryon, of Coweta, Okla., and Eric Tryon, of St. Louis; two brothers, Frank Harris and wife, Lana, of Rolla, and Ken Harris and wife, Charlotte, of Edgar Springs; a sister, Barbara Harris, of Albuquerque, N.M.; four grandchildren, Molly Case, Brendan Case, Jace Tryon and Briton Tryon and wife, Ashley; and one great-grandchild, Macie Tryon.
Jack’s family would like to express their gratitude to Oak Pointe of Rolla and Three Rivers Hospice for the wonderful care given to him this past year.
A funeral service with military honors for Jack L. Harris was conducted at 1 p.m. on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the Null and Son Funeral Home in Rolla. A visitation for family and friends was held prior to the service beginning at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. A private interment will take place at a later date at the Mitchell Cemetery in Edgar Springs, Mo.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Mitchell Cemetery and Little Prairie Bible Camp.
