Beryl D. Harris

Beryl Dean Harris was born to Beryl R. and Jewel Bearden Harris on December 24, 1927 in Pampa, Texas. He passed away Sunday, April 25, 2010 in Lubbock. He married George Ann McKee on August 2, 1953 in Levelland, Texas. He spent his life in education. He was a band director at Olton, Pampa Jr. High, Levelland Jr. High, and Littlefield. He was then High School Principal at Keller and Shallowater. He was also Counselor, Teacher Evaluator, and Administrative Assistant for six years in Ropesville half-time, teaching a total of forty four years. While at Olton he was the band director and assistant football coach. He was eighteen and had an emergency teaching certificate at that time. He graduated from Levelland High School. He was in band and Athletics there (football and track). In high school he was a member of the Texas Defense Guard and was in the U. S. Air Force 1951-1952. He received his BS in Education on 1949 and his MS in Education in 1951 from Texas Tech. While going to school he had a number of summer jobs. He worked for a bakery, was a janitor at the Recreation Hall at Tech (two years), taught in the Tech Summer Band School, sold encyclopedias, and insurance, and also measured cotton for the USDA, and had a small farm. He was an Eagle Scout, Scout Master, Den Master (Cub Scouts). In College he participated in intramural football and table tennis (doubles championship), was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi (Honorary band fraternity), Texas Tech Band (Bassoon), Alpha Phi Omega (Boy Scout Fraternity), Phi Beta Mu (Professional band director’s fraternity), Life Time P. T. A., Phi Delta Kappa (professional educators fraternity), and Lions Club (twenty years). He was also a member of the Texas State Teacher Assoc., National Education Assoc., Texas Retired Teacher Assoc., Retired Administrators Assoc., and the ACBL (bridge). He sang in the Amarillo San Jacinto Boys’ Choir, Played in the Myers Music Mart Band (Amarillo), Central Junior High Band (Amarillo), Amarillo High School Band, Levelland High School Band, Texas Tech Band 514th Air Force Band (Reese AFB), Amarillo Symphony Orchestra, and Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. He also sang in Church vocal ensembles. He studied genealogy, and also wrote a short history of the early Texas Tech Band (first twenty years). He was appreciative of his many friends and his students and their efforts. He had respect for the friendship and dedication of the faculties with which he worked. He loved books and continued to enjoy listening to and collecting music. They were a great joy to him. He was a member of the Church of Christ. His parents and brother, Eddie Lee, preceded him in death.

He is survived by his loving wife, and children; Annelle Harrison, Jim Bob and LeLani Harris, Charles and Debbie Harris, four grandchildren; Shannon, Aaron, Heath, and Chad, great granddaughter; Penelope Murphy Harris. He loved his family and was very proud of each one of them.

In lieu of flowers, the family ask that you remember your favorite charity.

Celebration of Life services will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, April 29, 2010 at Resthaven’s Abbey Chapel with Jay Kelley officiating. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park.

The family will receive friends from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at Resthaven Funeral Home.