Larry Bill Harris

Larry Bill Harris was a man of many names. Those who knew and loved him, most commonly referred to him as "Tony" but "Watashi", "Pappa-san", "Too Tall", "Hard ass Harris" and "Dad" were among his other endearing identities. He was also a man with many chapters in his life. He was born in Venice, CA in 1939. He enjoyed southern California at the height of its glory while also gaining a John Steinbeck perspective spending his youth harvesting from the cotton, date and orange fields. He spent his youth up and down the golden coast developing a love for the woods of Pollock Pines, CA working at a logging camp with his stepfather.

At the age of 16 he used his older brother’s birth date to enlist in the military and served during the Korean War. He married and had two daughters Lori and Leslie. After attending various colleges he began work at United Technology in San Jose, CA. He later moved to Florida where he worked to develop solid rocket fuel for the Apollo programs at NASA. Whenever he spoke of space exploration a look of joy and amazement would light up his face.

In 1977, he moved to Parkfield, CA to be with his uncle and begin the next phase of his life as a full time cowboy and ranch hand. Saddling up his horse "Rosie" at dawn and riding the hills gathering cattle with his cow dog "Molly" was his true calling. He met the love of his life, Pat Caldwell, at the Mid-State Fair the year he arrived in the area. They worked together and married in Parkfield remaining loving partners for 37 years. Tony later worked in the oil fields of San Ardo before moving to Templeton to help raise his youngest brother in laws James and Casey Caldwell.

In 1989, he began yet another chapter as "Dad" to his third daughter Louise whom he affectionately referred to as his sidekick. He took her along to check cattle on his leases and to regular visits at the zoo and the Morro Bay Aquarium to feed the seals. He burned numerous batches of peanut butter cookies and spent countless afternoons lying on the floor watching 101 Dalmatians with his little girl.

His later years were spent gardening, BBQing and always reading. The shelves of his rooms were lined with Steinbeck, Hemingway, and anything written about history or sea adventure. He loved to spend time on his boats in Avila and took up numerous hobbies including brewing beer. His taste for cuisine paid tribute to his Oakie family roots including sardines and saltine crackers, hard salami, and chicken fried steak with black eyed peas.....and of course Jim Beam.

The lives that he touched will forever be changed for the better, and his family and friends are so grateful to have known and loved him. The lessons he has taught us and the love and hunger for life he shared with us will live on with his memory. He was a great man who loved God, his country and his family. We will fondly remember him any time we hear an old Bob Wills or Louis Armstrong tune or whenever we look over the golden hills of Parkfield or the rolling ocean waves of the Central Coast.

Military honors will be held at the Templeton cemetery Saturday June 13th at 1:00pm followed by a bbq at the Harris place. Friends and family are encouraged to bring a chair, a side dish and lots of stories. The family asks that en lieu of flowers shrubs or bushes be sent to plant a landscape in his memory.