On April 15, 2020, Dean L. Harris, a 52-year resident of Grays Harbor County, passed away at his home, at the age of 93 from a chronic military service related condition.
Born in Fort Morgan, Colorado on Oct. 6, 1926, he began a life that was to become a legacy of kindness, hard work and love for humanity in every sphere in which he served. Some of those spheres included, working to help his family during the great depression, a grocery store clerk, until age 17, when he enlisted in the United States Navy doing his part in World War II as a radio man on an L.C.T vessel stationed in the Western Pacific theater of operations.
After the war he returned to Colorado and began his next adventures with his wife, Irene, with whom he eloped to Washington State. They made the northwest their home for the next 58 years until her death in 2007.
During that time Mr. Harris worked as a successful, well respected business man. After being Safeway manager, for 17 years he retired and went back to college. He earned his Masters Degree in Psychology. He then worked as an adjunct professor at Grays Harbor College, in Aberdeen. During that time he developed their Human Services program. He also served as the director of adult mental health at Evergreen Counseling in Hoquiam. He and Jack Dutro started a counseling practice helping many veterans over the next 14 years and saw thousands of lives changed.
Harris is survived by his wife of twelve years, Charlotte Gow Harris, his sister Norma Blount, of Littleton Colorado, step-children, Doug Gow of Aberdeen, Hope Gow Everheart of McKinney, Texas, eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and countless friends. He was loved and will be missed by all.
Truly a life well lived.
There will be a local memorial service to be announced after the covid-19 travel restrictions and public meeting are once again allowed.
Meanwhile the family thanks you for the prayers and kind concerns.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, please direct all contributions in Dean’s honor, to the local Salvation Army or Men’s and Women’s Shelters in Grays Harbor. Thank you.
