Samuel James "Jack" Harris' Obituary
Jack was born to Dorothy Smith Harris and Samuel R. Harris in Tacoma on December 10, 1922 and passed away peacefully on March 16, 2014. A lifelong Tacoma area
resident, Jack graduated from Lincoln High School in 1941 and served in the U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine service during World War II. An avid sailor, Jack built his first boat at the age of 12 and spent the final years of his career in his favorite position as a master carpenter, building custom interiors at Nordlund Boat. He spent much of his retirement sailing his boat, ¡Olé!, through the San Juan Islands, around Vancouver Island single-handedly more than once, and into Canada. He shared his love of the sea with his many children and grandchildren by taking them on overnight cruises and co-opting them as crew in races on Commencement Bay, keeping them
fed with his own canned food concoction which he christened "Slum Gullie ¡Olé!". Jack was a longtime volunteer at Foss Waterway Seaport and in 2003 was very proud to receive the annual Living Legends of the Waterfront Award, honoring vision, hard work, dedication and appreciation, from what was then known as the Working Waterfront Maritime Museum. Jack is survived by his daughters Judyann Morgan (Garry Ranck), Adele Berg (Ed), Joyce Carle (Roger), Barbara Harris Sinor (Richard), Beth Harris, Dorothy Klein, sons Don Harris (Merilyn), Michael Harris, and multitudes of grandchildren and great grandchildren. Jack is predeceased by his wife of 50 years Arlene Harris, and son James Nathan Harris. Donations to Foss Waterway Seaport
are encouraged, in recognition of Jack's passion for preserving maritime traditions, 459-A East 15th Street, Tacoma, WA 98421 or http://www.fosswaterwayseaport.org/join-support.
What’s your fondest memory of Samuel James?
What’s a lesson you learned from Samuel James?
Share a story where Samuel James' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Samuel James you’ll never forget.
How did Samuel James make you smile?
