Mr. Reefas "Jim" Watson Harris

Husband, father, brother and insurance loss consultant. He was a man’s man with a love of God, family and friends. Jim’s life on this earth came to an end on Saturday, January 20th at his farm in Barnesville, Georgia.

Reefas was born in Pineapple, AL to Eleanor Mae (Pugh) and Hugh Caffey Harris on April 23, 1932. He was 1 of 9 children. Aleise, Dixie Pearl, Clarence “Buddy” Don, Mildred, Billy, Patricia “Peachie”, Will Rogers, Reefas Watson, and Betty Sue. Hugh was a victim of Sarin gas from the war and was hospitalized. Reefas began working at an early age before and after school to help feed his family. He was athletic and said to have turned down a scholarship to play football at Alabama because he did not have time for games; he needed to be a provider.

At 18 years old he was seeking work and travelled to Ft. Wayne, where he met and later married Edith Arleen Ferrell in May of 1950. Shortly after their marriage he was drafted into the army. The Korean War was winding down and he like his brothers, was always proud of his service to his country. He moved to Ft. Lauderdale, FL after discharge from the army to be near the Ferrell family. He made lifelong friends with another outdoorsman, John Wilson. They hunted and fished together for over 30 years. It is there that he met another lifelong friend Curtis Blocker that married Arleen’s younger sister, Shirley. His family and children (Lori Penny, Marty) and the Harris’s have been as one throughout their entire lives.

In 1957, after being told by doctors she was not made for having children and would not be able to get pregnant, Arleen delivered her only son and named him Kimberly Alan. Jim was ecstatic because he now had a new hunting buddy. Every free moment was spent with his son.

In 1958, a customer of the bank where he worked offered him a job in Atlanta, with a branch of the salvage company he worked for. He packed up moved there. Through his hard work Jim quickly advanced through the company. Instead of moving his family to New York in 1973, he decided to open his own company partnering with a longtime friend in Jacksonville, FL., Royce Wilemon. Honesty and integrity were their bench marks and they were well received by the insurance industry.

During summers he took Arleen, Kimm, sometimes nieces, with him to enjoy playing in the hotel pool while he worked on losses throughout the southeast. Jim was devoted to his family and made friends wherever he went. He had a glint in eyes and a smirky smile that revealed the soul of a righteous man.

Children recognized this immediately and called him “papa” after his hair turned silver in his late forties. He always had a story to share which usually had and unexpected twist or lesson to be learned and always would end in a chuckle.

Jim’s love of hunting lead him to purchase some hunting land in Barnesville, GA. Every time neighbors wanted to sell off some land they would call him first to see if he was interested. Over time he acquired several tracts of land that became his farm.

He lost his wife of 59 years to cancer in 2010. His grandson, Shad, loves the farm and was always there, by his side, to help with chores which are never ending. Jim was fortunate to know Miss Lottie Ellis who was also widowed. They became friends and travelling companions and enjoyed many hours riding around the farm on his side by side and watching the deer enjoy their nightly meal of corn he fed them. They also took trips to see his granddaughter, Ashley and her husband, Shane and great granddaughter, Jensen in Florida. She was the apple of his eye.

He enjoyed many home cooked gourmet meals prepared by Janice, his daughter in law. He would ask her how long she was staying so he would know how long it would be before he could go back on his diet.

He was a truly great man with a heart of gold, blessed by God, who shared that blessing with those who were fortunate enough to know him.

“Well done my good and faithful servant.”

A celebration of life for Reefas will be held Friday, January 26, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Road, Roswell, GA 30076.