Arthur Lee Harris

Arthur Lee Harris, 91, of China Spring peacefully passed away in his beloved home Tuesday, March 22, 2022, after a long adventurous and love filled life.

Memorial Service: 2 p.m., Saturday, April 2, 2022, at Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel with full military honors rendered by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard.

Arthur, the oldest of four children, was born in Abilene, Kansas, February 25, 1931, to Arthur Floyd Harris and Fannie Mary Harris.

Raised mostly in Salina, Kansas and after graduating from Salina High School in 1949 he proudly joined the U.S. Air Force. He had many tours overseas and served in the Korean War and Vietnam War where he flew in excess of 1,200 hours over war zones.  He earned numerous medals and commendations. He retired with honors in 1970 with over 20 years of service. Art was very proud of his military service and was a true American patriot.

After leaving the military he worked at several private defense contractors, achieved an Electronics Technology Associate Degree, then joined the National Weather Service (under NOAA) in San Antonio. He retired in 1994 with over 33 years of total U.S. Government service.

On his first tour to Germany, he met the love of his life in 1956, Heidrun Emma Grenzer. They married on June 3, 1957. After a honeymoon in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, they settled down, driving daily to work together, as both were working at Sembach Air Base near Kaiserslautern.

While serving in the U.S. Air Force his first daughter was born in 1958, at Bitburg Air Force Base in Germany. A second daughter arrived in 1961, while stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi.  On his second tour back to Germany, his son was born in 1963 in Wiesbaden, Germany.  His family WAS his life, and he was very proud of his children’s successful lives.

Art loved to travel, but he especially liked to drive. Following retirement, he and Heidrun, drove and explored the U.S. West Coast in their RV then later in their car.  They took numerous visits to the wine regions of California, Oregon, and Washington. In 1985 they went back to Germany to visit family, and further explore the country without their children as they had become adults.  In 1995 they drove the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks and the Arctic Circle. On the way they visited Glacier National Park, Alberta, Canada and north to Edmonton onto Alaska. Returning home via US Highway One on the West Coast. His favorite drive was that beautiful Highway One, along the Pacific Ocean.

There were other driving trips to Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and all the National Parks in Utah. A 3-week adventure to Australia in 2007 was an extraordinary experience, swimming the waves on Bondi Beach, and the Great Barrier Reef, hiking Uluru Rock, walking the mud mangroves and watching performances at the Sydney Opera House.

They sailed the Aegean Sea from Athens to Istanbul with stops at different islands including Santorini in 2009. There were numerous cruises to the Caribbean and trips to the Mexican Yucatán with family and visits to Hawaii with friends and again with family.

They built their dream home in 2000 on 2 acres in China Spring where he loved watching the wildlife cross through the back yard, especially the hummingbirds, cardinals, turkeys, and 8-10pt White Tail bucks.

Art could fix anything, didn’t matter if it was wood, glass, cement, or metal.  His family could always count on him to fix or build whatever was needed.  His garage work bench was legendary.

Art was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Patricia Mae Harris Sullivan, and Joanne Faye Harris Church; and brother, Wayne Floyd Harris.

Arthur will be missed daily by the love of his life and wife of 65 years, Heidrun Emma Harris; daughters, Roxanne Harris Parks and husband Dr. Dennis Parks and their son Matthew A. Parks; Diana Lee Harris, and husband David Walter; his son, Thomas Arthur Harris and wife Lesa Lynn Harris (Robinson)  and their daughters Courtney E. Harris, Sydnie N. Harris, and Cassidy N. Harris, in addition to many other family members and friends he loved dearly.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Air Force Aid Society, the official charity of the U.S. Air Force or plant a tree in an American National Forest.

Place of Service: Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel , 5201 Steinbeck Bend; Waco, TX 76708