Obituary of Richard Harris

Richard Harris, 78, of Convent Station, N.J., formerly of South Orange, N.J., died on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, at Morristown Medical Center. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Mass at Our Lady Of Sorrows Church, 217 Prospect St., South Orange, on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in Fairmount Cemetery, Newark, N.J. Visitation will be held at Preston Funeral Home, 153 South Orange Ave., South Orange, on Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. For more information or to send condolences, please visit prestonfuneralhome.net. Born in Newark, Mr. Harris resided in Convent Station for 13 years and was formerly of South Orange for 39 years. He was employed as a construction superintendent for O.A. Peterson Construction Co., Montclair, N.J., for many years before retiring. Mr. Harris was a lifetime member of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 13. He was project superintendent for numerous building in New Jersey, most notably the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, N.J. Mr. Harris was a member of Knights of Columbus, South Orange, and Chatham Men's Bowling League. He graduated from Seton Hall Prep in 1951 and attended Newark College of Engineering Mr. Harris also worked at Evanbow Construction Co., East Orange, N.J., and served in the U. S. Army He was the beloved husband of the late Joan R. Canning Harris; devoted father of Richard, David and his wife, Nancy, Gary and his wife, Ann, and John and his wife, Paula; loving grandfather of Jack, Annie, Meg and Caroline Harris, and dear brother of Robert Harris and his wife, the late Rosemary, Mary Ann Thomas and her husband, Robert, James Harris and his wife, the late Dominica, and David Harris and his wife, Estelle. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson's Research, Church Street Station, P.O. Box 780, New York, N.Y. 10008-780, would be appreciated.