A member of the Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) for more than 50 years, he was born in Portland to Winslow and Ruby Harris. He is survived by his wife, Nancy (McGovern) Harris and their children, Jeffrey, Jennifer, and Jason—along with Dick and Nancy’s grandchildren, Abby, Jack, Joel, Lily, Jason, Jakob, and Cameron. Dick also leaves behind his siblings Bill, David, and Marlene, 5 nieces, one nephew, and the many Harris spouses—Laurel, John, Nancy, Jean, and Jim.
Those are the cold, hard facts about Dick Harris, spoken in the language of the obituary.
In no way, however, do such clinical, toneless words adequately tell the story or capture the essence of a man who meant so much to so many people. To do that, you must understand a bit about who he was, how he lived… and what he built.
Dick Harris was many things—a history teacher, a basketball coach, a passionate golfer whose life in the golf business began at age 8 at the Portland Country Club. He was a retailer, a salesman, a creative idea man. He was a husband, an uncle, a father, a grandfather, and a friend to nearly everyone who passed through his world—from those who knew him as their pro at Martindale Country Club… to the customers who passed through his many golf shops at one time or another… to the thousands of golfers he encountered at the many Maine facilities with which the Harris family was involved over the years.
Of his many ventures and accomplishments, however, there is one in particular that will endure as his most noteworthy legacy: he was the founder of Falmouth Country Club.
It was Dick who, in the mid-80s, envisioned a private country club that would be set in the rolling fields and farmlands of that town, surrounded by a community of like-minded homeowners. He saw it as a place where people could congregate, recreate, learn, grow, and enjoy spending time together. It was these simple ideas that led to the 1988 opening of the Club, as well as the neighborhoods now collectively known as Falmouth on the Green.
Over the next 30 years, the idea that began with Dick took on a life of its own. And for the last 11 years of Dick’s life, he was more than content to be part of the pro shop staff at Falmouth—enjoying what his club had become, interacting with the first, second, and even third generations of many members who were there from the beginning. It didn’t matter what was going on that day with Dick—if you asked him how he was doing, his answer was always the same, and always given with a warm smile and a healthy, unassuming dash of Maine: “I’m supah.”
If you’re at Falmouth Country Club, or just passing within sight of it as you travel Winn Road, be sure to say hello to Dick—he’s everywhere you look. His legacy is on the golf course, in the clubhouse, in the pro shop, on the tennis courts. His spirit is wrapped up in everything about the Club… and his family, friends, members, and staff are the richer for it.
Our friend.
Our family.
Our founder.
Congratulations, Dick. A life lived fully, a round well-played. You were bigger than words on a page. You were better than good. You were supah.
A private family service will be held to remember and honor Dick. In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that a donation be made in Dick’s name to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, an organization supported by the Falmouth Country Club in conjunction with Shamrock Sports & Entertainment and the Live + Work in Maine Open. Learn more at https://www.mainehealth.org/Barbara-Bush-Childrens-Hospital/Fundraising-Donations
Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Dick’s online guest book.
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