Robert E. Harris

Robert (Bob) Edgar Harris, age 97, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at Azura Memory Care in Oconomowoc while surrounded by his children and granddaughter. Bob is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Marjorie (Peg) Curtice Harris and his children Marjorie (Joseph) Holland, Susan Harris (Pat Teiken), James Harris, Lynn (Scott) Graff; his grandchildren Rachel (Edward) Stoltman, Jeffrey (Darlene) Holland, Jacob Kudeck, Andrew Holland, Elizabeth (Jacob) Snyder; his step-grandchildren Melinda (Dale Anderson) Teiken, Christopher Teiken, Deanna (Forrest Franken) Edmondson, Alicia (Dan) Hotmar, Victoria Graff; great-grandchildren Theodore Stoltman, Megan Stoltman, Molly Stoltman, Aaron Holland, Gemma Holland; and step-great grandchildren Jacques Anderson, Benjamin Teiken, Kayla Teiken, Willow Franken, Violet Franken, Ava Gutzdorf, Daisee Rae Hotmar and Lillian Mae Hotmar. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Byrum Wright Harris and Edna Rachel Lipkey Harris. He was born in Bluffton, Indiana on October 26, 1920, and grew up in Gary, Indiana. In 1932 Bob attended Columbia University Demonstration School where he was in the first class to be taught with talking motion pictures. He graduated from Wabash College in 1942 and then served in the U.S. Army in WWII in the Signal Intelligence Service, breaking Japanese military intelligence. Bob and Peg married January 31, 1948 and started their family in Gary, Indiana where Bob was a buyer for Montgomery Wards. He moved his family to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin in 1962 to continue his new position in sales for Magic Chef. Bob was involved in the local American Legion and Kiwanis Club. After he retired in 1981, he served as a Supervisor on the Ixonia Town Board. In 1984, Bob and Peg spent their winters in Leesburg, Florida and returned to live full time in Oconomowoc at Lake Terrace Apartments in 2010. Bob loved to travel and visited Europe and much of the United States during his retirement. He and Peg attended 21 Elder Hostel programs during this time. Bob was a true gentleman and will be dearly missed by his wife, family and the many friends and acquaintances who had the pleasure of being in his company. With deep gratitude, the family thanks the staff of Azura Memory Care of Oconomowoc and Hometown Hospice for the loving care they provided Bob over the past 17 months. A service will be held on Friday, March 9, 2018 at 1:30 in the Shorehaven Chapel, 1305 W. Wisconsin Ave, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 12:30 pm until time of service at 1:30. A private family burial will take place at Glenview Memorial Gardens, Ixonia. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association or the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight Charity Organization in Milwaukee, Wisconsin or other charitable organization of your choice.