Harris, Stanley

Palmdale CA ? Stanley Eugene Harris, 79, passed away peacefully at his residence after a long battle with Parkinsons. He joins his wife, Carol Lee Harris, who passed away 12 years earlier.

He is survived by his two sons, Guy and Dale, and his grandson William Stanley Harris.

Stanley was born and raised in Cottage Grove OR, the son of Dale and Dorothy (Wittekind) Harris. He graduated from Cottage Grove High School Class of 1958 after a distinguishing himself in athletics. He then attended Shasta College where he met and fell in love with Carol who would become his wife in 1960. Two years later they would be blessed with the birth of their first son Guy. Stanley joined the United States Air Force and the family was stationed in Puerto Rico when their second son Dale was born.

During his career in the Air Force, Stanley?s love of animals served him well working in the veterinary clinic and taking care of military working dogs, dependents pets, and civilian pets and animals. During his tour of duty in Vietnam his office would care for the working dogs as well as treating civilian animals like the Vietnamese water buffaloes. During a tour of duty in Italy with his family, Stanley started SCUBA diving in the Mediteranian Sea. He trained to become a SCUBA instructor and would often take his sons on the trips. Stanley also volunteered his time as a Little League Baseball Coach for his son?s teams.

When the family returned to the US, Stanley took advantage of the G.I. Bill and earned his Business Administration Degree. He retired from the USAF in 1982 and cross-trained to be a radiology technician. He quickly found work at the hospital in Fortuna California where he worked until 2006 before retiring. He continued attending classes at Community Colleges wherever he went ? learning was a life-long adventure for him. In 2013 he was inducted into the Cottage Grove High School Athletics Hall of Fame.

Stanley?s ashes will be in attendance at his memorial at the Cottage Grove Community Center, 700 E. Gibbs Avenue, Cottage Grove on August 3, 2019. Afterwards, Stanley and Carol?s remains will be interred at the Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.