Mr. Lilburn Buck H. Harris Jr.

Survivors include one stepson, Cameron F. Thomas of Pompano Beach, Fla.; one son, Steven J. Harris of Norfolk; one daughter, Cathy A. Harris; one granddaughter, Kristie A. Hoggard; one grandson-in-law, Daniel F. Hoggard; one grandson, Bruce A. Boswell; and three great-grandchildren, all of Virginia Beach.

A memorial service will be held 1:00 pm, Thursday, November 11, 2010 at Smith and Williams Funeral Home, 818 Norview Ave., Norfolk, VA 23509. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to the Citizens Committee to Protect the Elderly (CCPE), P.O. Box 10100, Virginia Beach, VA 23450.

To Mr. Lilburn H. Harris Jr., the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Buck, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Buck really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Buck was born on August 2, 1923 at home in Memphis, Tennessee. His parents were Lilburn and Margaret Harris. Buck was raised in Memphis, Tennessee and Norfolk, Virginia. Even as a child, Buck had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Buck was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Buck managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Buck was raised with one sibling. He had a younger brother, John, also known as "Jack".

All of Buck's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Buck experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in football and weight lifting. He was a Boy Scout. In his spare time he liked train sets.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Buck was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Buck simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Buck, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Buck's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Buck graduated from Maury High School and Granby High School in 1940. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. He was voted most popluar in high school.

Buck reveled in his college years, where his imagination could run free. He was viewed by many of his classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Buck was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for Buck, life was not a case of all play and no work. Buck relished the task of putting his imagination to work in class. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. He attended Georgia State, Wake Forest and the University of Willilam & Mary. Lilburn participated in weight lifting and football.

Buck never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Buck to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Buck delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Buck was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Buck utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were John Atkins, Eugene Eskey, Reid Spencer and Arthur Hubbard. Later in life, he became friends with Stanley Burnum, Ed Wiindley, George Greenfield, Hank Hamilton, Milton Gurganus, Jack King, Bill Colonna, Gene & Dan Godfrey, Lou White, Benny Gould, Benny Fanny, Blanche Goodman and Jan Marshall. Buck loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Buck very easy to approach. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Buck related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Buck was blessed with two children, One son, Steven and one daughter, Cathy. They were also blessed with two grandchildren, Kristie and Bruce. Buck had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Buck's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Buck had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Buck was a real “people person. ” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Buck liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Buck was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Buck's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Buck as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was metalsmith. He was employed for years by the Norfolk Naval Air Station.

Lilburn was an an U. S. Army veteran. He was a flamethrower instructor at Fort McClennan, Alabama. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Staff Sargeant.

Buck enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Buck liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were woodworking, painting, string art, train layouts, model building and sailboats. Buck was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Buck felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Buck loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Buck relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Buck never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Lilburn played football, field and track, and weight lifting. In his college years, Lilburn continued to stay active by playing football, lifting weight and track and field. Recreational sports included gold, weight lifting and jogging. Buck was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football and weight lifting.

Buck had an endless appetite for new and different activities. He was always ready to join in the fun and add his flair and energy to an organization. Because of his personality, his humor, and his ability to get along with everyone, Buck's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which he belonged. In high school, Lilburn was a member of the the Ameridan Athletic Union, The United States Powerlifting Federation and The World Powerlifting Federation.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Buck recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of Fairmount Park Freewill Baptist Church, Hyde Park Freewill Baptist Church and Gatway Freewill Baptist Church. During that time, he wasserved as a Deacon and Sundy School Teacher.

Naturally outgoing and generous, Buck was regularly doing things for others. For him, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Buck was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included he bench pressed 275 pounds at the age of 80.

Living life in the fast lane suited Buck just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included a cruse to Naassau, Bahamas and a road trip through North America and Alaske, Branson, Missouri and to the Worlds' Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Buck was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Buck's favorites was duke, a Siberian Husky dog. They were best friends for less than 1 year.

Buck believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 1982, Buck took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved relocating to Fayetteville, North Carolina and back to Norfolk Virginia in 1987. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Buck remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in traveling. Even in retirement, Buck continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

He is survived by his children, Steve and Cathy; his grandchildren, Kristie and Bruce; his great-grandchildren, Isaiah, Isaac and Ariana. A Memorial Service was held at Smith and Williams Funeral Home. Lilburn's ashes were spread upon the water on Little Bay at Willoughby.

Buck brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Mr. Lilburn H. Harris Jr. lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.