Wendell Harris

A native of Greenville, SC, Mr. Harris was a retired broadcast executive whose career in radio and television covered more than 40 years. He began his career in radio while attending the University of Alabama. Locally he worked for WAPI Radio and WAPI Channel 13 (now WVTM) where he was a reporter, producer, news director and anchor. He later served as Vice President and then Corporate Vice President for news with Times Mirror Broadcasting. During that period he was also General Manager of KTBC-TV in Austin, TX and vice president/news director for KDFW-TV in Dallas, TX. He received a Peabody award and numerous other awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Press and United Press.

Active in his community, Mr. Harris was a member of the Trinity Medical Center Board of Trustees. He also served on the Vestavia Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment; the Jefferson County Juvenile Court Advisory Board; the Board of Visitors to the Hall School of Journalism at Troy State University; and two terms on the University of Texas at Austin College of Communication Foundation Advisory Council.

Mr. Harris was an active member of Dawson Baptist Church. He attended the University of Alabama where he was a member of Delta Chi Fraternity.

Mr. Harris was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph L. and Geneva Harris. He is survived by his wife Alice Tyson Harris; three daughters Leisha Harris (Vance Holder) Birmingham, Allison Jones (Steve) Franklin, TN, Shannon Shelton (Jim) Ashburn, VA; two grandchildren Harris Jones and Natalie Jones; a sister Elaine Lowe and niece Amy Moore (Jim) and her children Casey and James all of Huntsville.

The service will be held Thursday, June 7 at Dawson Baptist Church. Visitation will be at 2 pm and the service at 3 pm. Burial will take place Friday, June 8 at 10:15 at Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Edgar M. Arendall Children’s Building, 1114 Oxmoor Road