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In memory of

John Henry Harris, Jr

Indian Head, MD, USA

February 8, 1936 - August 29, 2020

Feb 8, 1936 - Aug 29, 2020

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On August 29th, John Henry Harris Jr, affectionately known as "Junior Harris", well known throughout Charles and surrounding counties of Maryland finished strong; as he gracefully closed the chapters of his earthly life and opened a new chapter to his resurrected life. Junior Harris was a loving family man, consummate businessman and well recognized as a "man of the community". Junior Harris albeit from a small town, he had a big vision and a field of dreams and he spent his life filling that field of dreams with one accomplishment after another. Junior Harris came from humble beginnings, lost his dad at an early age and was raised by his mom. Over his 84 wonderful years of life, he positively influenced every environment where he was present. His vision and accomplishments are too many to list but a few to highlight his life's journey include his early teen-age years where his pursuit for knowledge and passion for business sprung, when he realized as a young man that his neighborhood was not privy to any newspaper delivery service. Harris took the initiative to start his own business which he built from door-to-door for the African American and Pittsburg carrier, and eventually the Washington Times Herald. Harris is a Pomonkey H.S. honors graduate, worked many odd jobs including busing tables, cleaning, maintenance, even sold shoes door to door, eventually landed a job with Ely's Department & Furniture store in Downtown Indian Head. He worked his way up from salesman to sales manager and became known as "Boy Manager" at the ripe age of 18 managing 41 employees of the store, and from there it was history. Junior Harris was on a path to prove the "impossible is possible" when you work hard, live honest, and have a dream big enough that the facts don't count. In this case, the fact that he was a black man didn't stop him, it fueled his cause, and perfected his persona, by imparting his winning positive mental attitude, he unveiled his loyalty and unmatchable work ethic, and the infectious nature and desire to become a businessman and community leader with hopes of creating a life better than the one he had for his family. His appetite to do business while maintaining a high ethical standard removed traditional social barriers and created unconventional pathways for him to persevere thru the racial 1940's, 50's and 60's. It was in this time he was being molded but also acting as the molder, where he built a brand as part of Ely's Furniture , becoming a young member of the Charles County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Committee, where he found ways to cultivate his love and passion for business and community service at the intersection of his other love, Basketball! He leveraged his professional and community service platforms as an opportunity to reach young people thru sports giving them inspiration to learn, change and grow. He built a team of dedicated pro-am basketball players, starting as the Ely's All-Stars, who went on to win many championships and touch many people around the world. His career path eventually led him to later join Waldorf Carpets and Draperies, where he spent the remainder of his professional life. He started as a sales associate, was promoted to management and eventually became part owner of Waldorf Carpets & Draperies, Waldorf Carpet One. The building where he spent many years growing the business is now occupied by the Charles County Sheriff's office in Waldorf Maryland. That success in business opened many doors, and continued fueling his love and passion for basketball and community, growing like a wildfire sparking opportunities for his pro-am basketball team to become branded as the "Waldorf Carpets" basketball team and eventually opening doors to travel and compete in national and international tournaments in Europe, Middle East and Africa. He had a genius mind, albeit never college educated, instinctively knew there was an equal and greater benefit at the intersection of business, community and his passion for Basketball, which became another channel for marketing Waldorf Carpets, opening doors on the global stage as he became a known brand ambassador, sales and content creator for flooring products, developing material to train sales reps, creating pathways for his talent being recognized by the World Floor Covering Association, where he also served on the Board of Directors. Junior Harris always gone the extra mile, his attention to detail, focus on quality over quantity, obsessed with doing the right thing, all were qualities turned badges into honor. Admittedly, a man with a big ego, he was balanced and never allowed his success, notoriety and fame ever get in the way of his love for family and community. His focus on community evolved around families, seeking to improve the lives of the community in which he lived, loved, and worked. He ultimately claimed Charles County as a "beautiful place with beautiful people". Junior Harris never lost site of his local roots, or opportunities and commitment to give back. Junior Harris, the man from small humble beginnings believed that nothing beats giving back to others and he did so thru many channels, but notably the Kiwanis organization where he joined in 1982. In his service to Kiwanis, he was instrumental in establishing the first "Aktion club" in Southern Maryland for adults with special needs, he personally built eight (8) Kiwanis clubs and recruited over 500 members, he held several Kiwanis leadership roles to include President, Vice President, and two terms as LT Governor as well as serving on the Board of Directors for many years. His passion to succeed, unwillingness to quit, can be memorialized in a "Hall of Fame" represented by the many accolades, awards, and honors from business professional and athletic organizations, the US Congress, State & Local governments, including being the "First Black President" of the Charles County Chamber of Commerce. In humor, often noting that he and Obama shared being named "First Black Presidents" in the same year. His leadership, and love of community service earned being awarded "Keys to the Town of Indian Head" and an Honorary Degree from the College of Southern Maryland, for making the community a better place to live and work, when presented the honors, he was the second holder granted the honorary degree by the CSM board of trustees next to Former US Senator Barbara Mikulski. Harris was an advocate for change, lived a life actioning on Diversity and Inclusion, and believed in the mantra "Better Together" we can achieve more by education, ultimately closing the divide across racial and social-economic boundaries. A favorite pastime was his love for photography, being behind the camera was a 24x7 gift, he was often noted for taking more photos than any asian tourist, capturing life's moments and creating memories with family to archiving business events, locations, and places travelled around the world. He also had a love for high-quality products spanning from flooring to personal fashion, where he notably became recognized in the community in his custom made cowboy hats and snakeskin boots. Harris was also committed to a life of learning, love of family and creating experiences that would become memories for all of those who came in contact with him. He and his wife Christine travelled the world and spent many days and nights on airplanes, experiencing the likes of unique international cities and luxury ocean-side resorts around the world as reward for business success. Junior Harris will be missed by so many, but mostly his family. As the Patriarch, setting and breaking records as he often did, recently celebrated 66 wonderful years of marriage to his loving wife Anna Christine Harris whom he leaves behind, along with two sons, Robert (Lenny) and Steven, Two grandchildren, Stephen pronounced "Steffin" and Derrick, and two great-grandchildren Collin and Kortni, followed by a host of extended relatives, friends, confidants, colleagues, and co-conspirators to make the world a better place! The family thanks you for your continued prayers, love and friendship.

In his very last days, once again "Junior Harris" exemplified his commitment to giving back, self declaring to exit from the clinical trial focused on a cure for his rare heart disease. He unselfishly wanted to give someone else a chance to gain access to the medications costing nearly $90,000 and therefore he elected to discontinue the treatments of of his already weakened heart, and he informed the attending physicians at Washington Hospital Center to remove him from the clinical trial and open the door for someone else with a younger heart to enter the clinical trial program so they could have a chance at life!

The family hopes to keep the "Field of Dreams" alive, so that his 84 years of life will not be in vein, but become "Legacy" noted for his contribution to community and mankind, creating opportunities for his life's work to be remembered not only by those closest to him, but by those whom he touched directly and indirectly, in hopes of continuing to do so for many generations to come with donations for scholarships, social programs, and a platform in his name to share his life story of how one black boys dream eventually became archived as one of America's Black Lives That Mattered!

A charitable fund has been established for those wanting to contribute to keeping his legacy alive. This fund will contribute to various charities, higher-ed institutions, organizations and caused he supported In closing, at 84 years young, John "Junior" Harris, was a "A Black Life That Mattered"!

Help us in keeping the story and hope alive of how one man from a small town with big dreams made a big difference!

written by Stephen D. Harris, aka Grandson

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