Harris was beloved in community

Harry Harris, a former Nelson County supervisor and a beloved community figure, died last week. The cause was cancer. He was 69.

“Harry was just an icon in this community,” said Emma Wardlaw, principal of Nelson County High School. “He believed in this community.”

The Nelson County school district already has established the Harry S. Harris Memorial Scholarship Fund, with the first recipient scheduled to be honored this week.

The recipient must plan to major in education at a college or university in Virginia, Wardlaw said.

Harris was Nelson County’s first black supervisor. He had served for nearly 10 years when he retired in 2007. He also served on the school board for 12 years. He fondly recalled his career in a previous interview with the Nelson County Times when he retired.

“I will always think about the opening of the new schools,” Harris recalled. “That’s one of the most memorable things. We (the Board of Supervisors) were responsible for putting together the funding package was the greatest involvement of the board. We also met with the architects, and we were involved with the planning and discussion with the architects right from start to finish.”

He also served on PTAs and organized and coached youth football.

Like many local officials, he felt a responsibility to his home county, he recalled, after living briefly in New Jersey and serving in the military and then returning to Nelson County and becoming active in the community. He retired as an engineer after more than 20 years at Babcock & Wilcox.

“I just needed to give back something to the county,” he recalled. “Like I said, I was born here, I went to school here, and I moved away right after I got out of school. When I came back, I felt like I should get involved and give something back.

“I can only see great things for the county,” he said.

Harry Samuel Harris was born Feb. 28, 1940, in Nelson County a son of the late Sam Harris and Zell Sonona Diggs Harris.

He was a graduate of Nelson County High School. He was an active member of New Mount Baptist Church in Arrington.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret Washington Harris; five daughters, Peggy Napper, of Charlottesville, Shirley Napper, of Washington, D.C., Debbie Briggs, of Clarksville, Tenn., Juanita Napper, of Jacksonville, Fla., and Mary Helen Napper, of Baltimore. He also is survived by five sons, William H. Napper, of Richmond, James L. Napper, of Northern Virginia, Russell L. Napper, of Charlottesville, Jeff S. Harris, of Hinesville, Ga., and Daniel Harris, of Morrisville, N.C.

He also is survived by three brothers, Willie Harris, of Seattle, Wash., Andrew Harris, of Charlottesville, Phil Harris, of Chicago; two sisters, Cynthia Harris, of Lovingston, and Anna Baines, of Chicago; two half-brothers, John Harris, of Shipman, and Lawrence Harris, of Lovingston; two half-sisters, Pauline Giles, of Roseland, and Gladys Johnson, of Schuyler; and seven grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

A funeral service was held Saturday at New Mount Baptist Church with the Rev. Allen W. Pannell officiating.

Interment followed in the church cemetery.

The family suggests that memorials take the form of contributions to the American Cancer Society.