Fred Harris “Pops” was called home to be with our Lord on April 28, 2022, in the place he loved the most, Las Vegas, Nevada. Fred was 79 years young and was full of life until the very end.

Frederick Harris aka Fred Harris was the 9th child born to Louisa Hudson and Frank Harris (who both preceded his death). He was born on October 26, 1942, in rural Leflore County, Mississippi, about 7 miles north of Greenwood, on the Lomacks Cotton Plantation, in a one room log cabin he referred to as the “Red House”.

Fred attended McLaurin Elementary School, Stone Street Middle School, and Broad Street High School. In June of 1961, he left high school and moved to Los Angeles, California. In 1961, Fred enlisted into the military and served four years in the United States Navy reaching the rank of E5 in the electronics field as a Radar & Communications Specialist. Fred was honorably discharged from the military in October 1965. After obtaining his Bachelors of Science Degree in Electronics Engineering with the USAFI program and his Masters of Science in Computer Science from Cal State Dominguez Hills, Fred worked as an Electronics Engineer and Electrician and shared a “Robotics Engineering Patent” with a former employer. He also owned and operated a television and computer repair shop in Lynwood, California known as “The Laboratory”. In 1994, Fred and his wife, Kathleen, opened Custom Video Engineering, LLC, in Paramount, CA. Fred retired with plans to eventually relocate to Las Vegas.

In search of true love, Fred married twice and engaged in several love relations before he found the love of his life. In 1994, he married the women of his dreams, God’s beautiful hummingbird, Kathleen Norman, and together they had two children: Tamora Harris and Cameron Harris.

Fred was also a very gifted guitarist and bandleader. In 1972, during his spare time, Fred and a few of his friends started a group called “The Soul Jazz Express.” The group performed not only top hits, but also music written by Fred and the other band members. The Soul Jazz Express performed for many private parties and in many local Los Angeles clubs including the Veterans Hall in Compton, CA . .

In addition to working in the electronics field and playing his guitar, Fred found the time to build a house, not just any house, but a six-bedroom mini mansion in Lynwood, CA. He loved working with his hands, and he continued to remodel every house he purchased up until the day he was called home.

Fred also devoted his time and energy in supporting his family members. When in need, everyone knew they could count on Uncle Fred to be there. Fred loved his family, children, and he had a passion for his family’s ancestry and genealogy discoveries. Fred first became interested in family history after the passing of his father in 1969. During the planning of his father’s repast, Fred realized that no one seem to know very much about the family’s ancestors. Since then, Fred has been zealously devoted to researching his family history and writing his legacy book “The Souls of Southern Carrol County, a document about the Hudson-Dixon family history. Fred was the family historian and would often report on accuracies and discoveries of family roots at the Hudson-Dixon family reunions.

Fred was preceded in death by both parents, ten of his siblings: brothers, Guy Lee Harris; Charles “Bud” Albert Harris; James Lee Harris; Frank Harris Jr; Roosevelt Harris; and sisters: Ruby Lee Harris-Bryant; Josephine Harris-Phillips; Wootsy “Cindy” Mae Harris-Burch; Gladys G. Harris-Logan; Katie Pearl Harris; his wife, Kathleen Y. Norman-Harris; his stepson, Reggie Harper; and, his daughter, Shalita R. Harris-Armelin.

Fred is survived by his sons: Ricky Harris and Cameron Harris; his daughters: Antoinette Harris-White; Tili Harris-Hill; Keeshunna Harris-Daniels; and Tamora Danielle Harris; his grandchildren: Anthony L. Thomas; Trevor D. Swaggard; Josh Harris; Devari L. Core; Soniya Harris; Desiree M. Core; Aaliyah N. Core; Samira Harris; Tabari Harris; Genesis E. Armelin; Trinity A. Armelin; and Harper Mixon; his great grandson: Elijah R. Trujillo.  Aside from his children, Fred is survived by his younger brother and best friend, Johnny Harris, and his baby sister, Ella Harris-Scott; and several nieces and nephews.

Fred spent the last three months of his life teaching and learning from his grandson Devari Core in Las Vegas, NV. He longed to relive the memories of his grand Las Vegas Fourth of July pool party and was called home before he could make it happen. Although Fred was not able to make his dream of one last family reunion happen, we know he is now reunited with his family in Heaven.

Fred’s final words: “To anyone that I have harmed, or wronged in anyway, during my tenue in this life, I beg for your forgiveness because for that I am truly sorry. To those who may have wanted to ask for my forgiveness, rest at ease for you are forgiven. To anyone that maybe grieving my departure from this life, thank you so much for your show of sympathy, in closing there is just one other thing that I wish to say, “May the work that I have done speak for me”. Goodbye and farewell to all… I will meet you at the gate”.

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