Hiram E. Gene Harris

Master Sergeant Hiram E. "Gene" Harris, USAF Ret, died Thursday, June 7, 2001. Gene would have been 103 years of age on October 17, 2001, having lived in three centuries. He was born in South Carolina in 1898 and lived in Gaffrey, South Carolina. Gene was on his own from age 10. He joined the Army in 1918 and was stationed at Ft. Sam Houston. He met and married Mary Elizabeth Smith on September 2, 1925 in San Antonio. His wife and baby son accompanied him to Ft. D. Russel, Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1927. He served the remainder of his Army career in San Antonio at Camp Normoyle East Kelly, Kelly Field Duncan Field, SAAC Center, Lackland AFB because he transferred to the Army Air Corps. Gene retired in 1945 with over 25 years of service to his country. He was a Master Chef and later inspected food providers to the U. S. Government. Sgt. Harris was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Mary, on December 31, 1973 and by his infant son, Lloyd. He is survived by his sons Robert E. Harris and John Harris, both of San Antonio; his daughter MaryLou Krus and husband Clarence Krus; granddaughter, Gena Krus Montfort and husband John Montfort, all of Nacogdoches, TX; grandsons Eugene Harris and wife Dorothy, of Marion, TX, and Clarence H. Harris, Garden Ridge, TX; great grandchildren, Nicholas Montfort, Boston, MA, Elizabeth Montfort, College Station, TX, Timothy Montfort, Nacogdoches, TX, Clint Harris and wife Beth, of Phoenix, AZ, and Autumn Rose Harris, Marion, TX; sisters-in-law Rose Chronister and Ann Roth, both of San Antonio; numerous nieces and nephews in San Antonio and South Carolina.