Richard Harris

Richard Henry Harris was born on June 29, 1933, in Danville, Virginia, to Helen Louise Crews Harris and James Edward Harris. He peacefully entered eternal rest on December 5, 2025, in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the Veterans Administration Community Living Center, where he was tenderly cared for during the final year of his life.

Richard’s life was richly woven with family and enduring love. He is survived by his sister, Jaqueline Delores Harris Young; his children, Kevin Harris (Peggy), Megan Harris, and Richard Harris; his treasured granddaughters, Asia Harris and Zariya Harris; and his former spouse and lifelong friend, Consuelo Watkins Harris. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, James Harris and Earle Giles Harris. His memory also lives on in the hearts of many devoted nieces, nephews, and cousins whom he cherished dearly.

Richard enrolled in the ROTC program at Virginia State College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and became a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Commissioned as a lieutenant in the United States Army, he served his country with distinction in Korea from 1957 to 1959. Always a steadfast advocate for women and children, he arranged for an at-risk child to be adopted by a family in the United States—a quiet act of humanity that reflected his lifelong values. Upon returning home, he served as a Company Commander at Fort Knox and later earned a master’s degree in Psychiatric Social Work from the University of Louisville’s Kent School of Sociology and Family Science.

Richard’s professional journey brought him to Cincinnati, where an internship at the Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center led to a career devoted to strengthening families and communities. He served the Children’s Home of Cincinnati, the Seven Hills Neighborhood Center, and ultimately as director of the Parent and Child Center. Cincinnati became his home—a place where he raised his family and built a life rooted in learning, service, and love.

A devoted family man and a true gentleman, Richard never met a stranger. He greeted the world—and everyone in it—with warmth and kindness, making all he met feel special. A jazz aficionado and consummate do-it-yourselfer, his hands were rarely still. Whether building, fixing, or creating, his curiosity and craftsmanship left a lasting impression on all who knew him.

Richard was also known for his quick wit, keen sense of humor, and enduring love of words. His passion for writing began in high school with letters to the Danville newspaper and later blossomed into regular contributions to The Cincinnati Enquirer, where he was invited to write on topics of his choosing, an opportunity he thoroughly enjoyed as a way to share his perspectives.

As a boy, Richard worked and played alongside his siblings on the rolling hills and among the headstones of Danville’s Oak Hill Cemetery, under the watchful eye of their beloved grandfather, James Henry Harris, the cemetery’s groundskeeper. In a fitting return to his beginnings, Richard’s ashes will be laid to rest beside his mother at Oak Hill Cemetery.