Carl Richard Harris

Carl Richard Harris of Lynnwood, Washington passed away on Sept. 4, 2013. Born in Wisconsin to Marie [Weickert] and Norman Harris, Carl grew up to lead his own swing band before joining the military. In 1943 he met Ruth Hush at a soldier's dance; they married on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Carl was deployed to Europe, becoming a bugle boy and fighting in trenches, later sidelined with a head injury from a German bomb. Carl earned degrees in engineering and physics, taught at the University of Wisconsin, then secured several patents related to color film, hearing aids, and electronic scales. While raising his family, Carl was employed as a rocket scientist with the Martin Company, and became an accomplished photographer, combining both skills at one point to invent a toy rocket that takes pictures. The family moved to Washington in 1965; Carl launched his own company in 1976, two decades later selling the firm to retire. He and Ruth then traveled the world and he was band leader for the "Senior Swingers" and taught writing classes. In 2010, Carl wrote a memoir book called Movin' On, Tangled Trails of a Wandering Scientist. Throughout his long life, Carl demonstrated kindness, generosity, and lived an extraordinary life full of love, risk taking, and family. Carl was predeceased by his eldest son Richard and his brother Robert; he is survived by his wife Ruth, his children Lee, Terry, Beverly and Tamalyn, and his sisters Marilyn and Norma.