Charles Thomas Harris (Tom), 80, was born in Saffell, AR on July 13, 1942, to Arthur & Florine Harris. He passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 1, 2023, after a brief illness. He is survived by his son, Alan Harris (Reena) and daughter, Kristi Durham (Scott) both of Strawberry along with his grandchildren Tanner Johnson (Hayden), Cody Johnson, Colby Harris (Christine) and Brianna Norwood (Trey), three bonus grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, a sister, Lillian Sue Durham and two nieces & three nephews along with many good friends both locally and across the country.
Tom graduated from Strawberry High School class of 1960. He played both basketball and baseball excelling at both earning many season awards for his performance. He played American Legion baseball outside of school. He attended Arkansas State University for two years before enlisting in the United States Air Force. He served four years with fifteen months spent in Taipei, Taiwan as a morse-code translator. He received numerous acknowledgments of honor for superior morse-code translations, which were top secret. After serving in Taiwan, he was deployed to Good Fellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, TX for the remainder of his military service.
After military discharge, he moved his family to Jonesboro, AR where he finished his college degree graduating from Arkansas State University with a Bachelor’s in Business and a minor in Psychology. While in college, he worked for Superior Freight and continued his employment into retirement. After retirement, he eventually returned back to Saffell, AR to spend the latter part of his life.
He had a love for nature and the outdoors and spent much of his time hunting and fishing with duck hunting being his favorite. In the late winter, you’d find him crappie fishing in Sardis, MS where he made lifelong friends. Around 60 years old he discovered his love for deer hunting and would spend his time with his son and grandchildren in the deer woods
He will be greatly missed by his family & friends.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 4, 2023, at 10:00 A.M. at Mt. Harmony Free Will Baptist Church in Saffell, AR. Burial will follow at the Ward Cemetery in Strawberry, AR.
Arrangements by Qualls Funeral Home of Cave City.
Visitation will be Wednesday, January 4, 2023, from 9 A.M. until service time at the church.
Pallbearers will be Scott Durham, Tanner Johnson, Colby Harris, Cody Johnson, Jeff Allen, Billy Collins, and James Ishamel.
Honorary pallbearers are his fish frying gang and his Sardis, MS fishing buddies.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local food bank because Tom would often buy meals and provide food for local families in need throughout the year.
