Michelle and I took Jackson up to visit my grandmother yesterday. We had planned to go to Vermont in hopes that Papa would improve so that he could see Jackson, but he died Thursday night. We were going to wait to go up until things had settled down, but when I called Friday morning, Grandma said she was still looking forward to us coming.It was good that we went. Gram was thrilled to hold Jackson. She also was counting on me to go with her and some of our the other family members to help make the arrangements at the funeral home. She has always leaned on my father to help her make some of those decisions, and with him out of the country, I guess she had confidence in my ability to stand in for him.
A theme that came up all day as relatives came and went was that although we had lost one Ronald (Papa) we had gained another (Jackson). When I talked to my father, he said he had been thinking of that a lot. Both Gram and her cousin Elaine noted that as well. The theme was most stark today, as both Jackson's birth announcement and Papa's obituary ran in today's Brattleboro Reformer. Here are the texts:
Births
In Lowell, Mass., (Saints Memorial Hospital), June 2, 2006, a son, Ronald Jackson Harris, to Michelle and Lance Harris of Leominster, Mass.; grandson to Ronald J. and June Harris of Clinton, Mass., and Joseph and Leslie Carr of Lancaster, Mass.; great-grandson to Ronald J. and Mabel Harris of Jamaica and Lucille Haddock of Melrose, Mass.
Ronald Junior Harris
JAMAICA -- Ronald Junior Harris, 82, a longtime resident of Jamaica, died Thursday, June 15, 2006, at home in East Jamaica surrounded by his family.
He was born on June 13, 1924, the son of the late Guy E. and Ella (Bratton) Harris in Athens.
Mr. Harris was a logger and a truck driver working for himself and other companies as well.
On Aug. 1, 1944, he was married to Mabel Henderson. He served his country during World War II in the U.S. Marine Corps and was a proud patriot.
He enjoyed driving his truck, telling stories with his friends over a cup of coffee, reading Louis L'Amour books, playing the harmonica and the annual family reunion at the Townshend Dam.
He was a former stock car driver who always enjoyed racing.
In addition to his wife of more than 61 years, Mr. Harris is survived by two sons, Ronald Jay Harris and his wife June of Clinton, Mass., and Duane H. Harris of Wasilla, Alaska; two daughters, Darlene E. Harris of East Jamaica and Annette E. Beekman of Sutherlin, Ore.; a brother, Derwood Harris and his wife Marion of Townshend; three sisters, Thelma Neff of Yucca, Ariz., Bernice Bratton of Sutherlin, Charlene Libby of Cripple Creek, Colo.; 11 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by five brothers, Kenneth, Oliver, Bernard, Rodney and Gerald, and two sisters, Theda Pike and June Martocci.
A memorial service will be held on Friday June 30, at 11 a.m., at the White Funeral Home in Townshend.
Burial of his urn will follow at the East Jamaica Cemetery in the family lot.
There are to be no calling hours at this time.
Donations in Mr. Harris' memory may be made to the Grace Cottage Foundation, Townshend, VT 05353.
Arrangements are under the care of the WHITE FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICES of Townshend.
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