Obituary for Darrell G. Harris Darrell G. “D.G.” Harris age 96 of San Antonio passed away peacefully Thursday, May 24, 2018. He was born in a small town in Northeast Texas – Strawn, Texas – October 15, 1921 to Drew and Leone Harris. Drew passed away when Darrell was 7 years old and Leone took her two young sons to Sweetwater, Texas where she later met her second husband Oliver Robbins.
Together Oliver and Leone had a daughter, Patsy. The family travelled across Texas living in a number of small towns up until D.G. entered high school. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1938.
While attending Burbank High School he met the love of his life Omadell whom he would later marry. D.G. joined the United States Army after Pearl Harbor where he was trained as a paratrooper and demolitions expert. He spent 3 ½ years in the European Theater, serving with the 82nd Airborne in Anzio, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge, among others.
After the war he and Omadell married in 1947. Together they worked hard to help D.G. graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in mechanical engineering and raised three children. He enjoyed a long career at Kelly Air Force Base as an aeronautical engineer.
D.G. had numerous interests including a love for nature, extensive reading, photography, auto mechanics, and travel, which he passed on to his children and grandchildren. After retirement he spent time reflecting on his military career and composed a memoir called “Casa Blanca to V.E. Day: a Paratrooper’s Memoirs”. He remained active in numerous Veterans organizations throughout the rest of his life including the U.S. Military Veterans Parade Associate (USMVPA) and the local chapter of the 82nd Airborne Association.
In 2004 he attended the opening ceremonies to the WWII Museum in Washington D.C. with his granddaughter Kassie. He received numerous medals including the Bronze Star and the Lifetime Achievement Award. He is preceded in death by his wife, Omadell Harris, his brother, Kenneth Harris and his sister, Patsy Miller.
He is survived by his children, Lea Harris, Dee Harris Peterson and her husband, Gilbert and Bruce Harris and his wife, Debra; grandchildren, Kassandra Garza and her husband, Daniel, Ariel Harris, Drew Harris and his wife, Madison; great grandchildren, Mikayla Garza, Caleb Garza and Clara Grace Garza; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Alzheimer’s research. Please visit this link to make a contribution in his name: bit.
ly/2sgeJMg Upcoming Events Visitation 2018 MAY 31. 05:00 PM – 07:00 PM Mission Park Funeral Chapels Cherry Ridge 3401 Cherry Ridge Dr San Antonio, TX, US, 78230 www. missionparks.com Celebration of Life 2018 JUN 1.
02:00 PM Mission Park Funeral Chapels Cherry Ridge 3401 Cherry Ridge Dr San Antonio, TX, US, 78230 www.
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