1950 ~ 2017

Larry James Harris was born on Sunday September 3, 1950 in Colorado Springs to Orla Junior Harris and Helen Enola Harris (Peterson). As a fourth generation Coloradan his heart and soul was tethered to Colorado and the mountains he so loved. Larry attended Columbia Elementary, North Junior High and William J. Palmer High Schools.  Through Junior High and High School, he was always walking the thin line between fun and trouble.  The stories Larry and his best buddy Dennis Kerr would tell about their adventures as a youth always made you wonder how they made it to adulthood with all of their limbs intact.   Larry graduated from Palmer High School June 6, 1968.  After high school, Larry and his buddy Dennis Kerr enlisted in the U.S. Navy.  Larry was a navigator, Quartermaster 3 E-4, who served on the USS Detroit stationed out of Newport, RI. He was honorable discharged from active duty in October 1973.  Larry loved the outdoors and his career choices never confined him to an office.  He worked for Lucas Sporting Goods, General Fishing Tackle, and as a grounds keeper for School District 12.  His last career job was working for the Colorado State Parks System.  When not working, Larry spent most of his time enjoying the Colorado Mountains.

Larry met his best friend Debra (Debi) Johnson, in January 1978 and they began dating in April 1978.  They realized they were soul mates and became engaged in June 1979. The native Coloradans had an outdoor wedding and married May 21, 1983 with the smell of spring flowers in the air. For on that day the lilacs were in full bloom throughout the city.  Never apart for more than a few days, Larry continued his adventures with Debi up until his short illness. Larry died peacefully surrounded by loved ones on November 11, 2017 in UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central.  Larry is survived by his wife Debra Harris, mother-in-law Patricia Lyon, in-laws Cheryl Bryant, Belinda and Bob Putman and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Richard Harris.