Jerome Robert Harris

Jerome "Jerry" Robert Harris, 96, of Charlottesville, passed away on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. The second of two children, he was born in Manhattan in 1920, the son of the late David and Esther Harris.

Jerry was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, first enlisting in 1939. During World War II, he served in Iceland as an aviation chief radioman with Patrol Squadron 82 which later received recognition from the U.S. Navy for "outstanding heroism in action against enemy forces in Atlantic Waters."

Jerry attended Columbia University as part of the V-12 Navy College Training Program where he earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering (electronics major) in 1946. After graduating, he remained active in the Naval Reserve teaching missile guidance systems and retiring as senior grade lieutenant.

Over several decades, Jerry pursued his career as an engineer and business leader in the magazine printing industry where he became Vice President and General Manager of the Mid-Atlantic Division of McCall Printing Company and later cofounded American Press, an innovative magazine printing company in Gordonsville, VA.

Jerry’s wife of 60 years, Carol, died in 2012. He is survived by his children Robert Sean Harris, Donna Harris Mustanski, her husband Steve, and grandchildren John Mustanski and Anna Mustanski. In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by his sister Adelaide "Addy" Kadin and his granddaughter Grace Mustanski.

The funeral service will take place at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, July 6, 2017, at 12:45 pm. Family and friends are asked to arrive at the Old Post Chapel at 12:00 pm. To reach the chapel, vehicles will need to enter Fort Myer through the Hatfield Gate where a guard will check IDs and provide directions.

Donations to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Service Trust (cst.dav.org) are welcome.