Raymond L Harris

Raymond Lee Harris, 85, a true gentleman of Liberty Twp., passed away Thursday December 4, 2014 at the Hospice House. Raymond was born on October 13, 1929 in Pittsburgh , PA , the son of Raymond W. and Wilhelmina (McClinton) Harris. After graduation from Bellevue (PA) High School, Ray served in the National Guard, and attended Westminster College , where he met the love of his life, Gail Antes, whom he married on March 17, 1951.They later made their home in Liberty Twp., where they raised their three children. Always seeking just a little more adventure, the "Harris five" travelled the western part of the United States .  In their five person tent, they visited such beautiful places as Mt. Rushmore , the Smokey Mountains , Grand Canyon and many other sites.  Never satisfied, he and Gail became tour guides for the AAA and continued their travels, enjoying Hawaii and Las Vegas many times, as well as Singapore , Hong Kong and Egypt . Another accomplishment of which Ray was proud was the completion of his college degree later in life. Ray was employed for over 30 years as a Safety Inspector at the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. and LTV Steel.  After the closing of the mill, Ray began a new career as a kitchen designer at Stambaugh's in Warren . Upon retirement, he and Gail travelled briefly in an RV, with the intent of "seeing the world from an RV", before their journey was cut short by Gail's death on March 25, 2003 . Never losing his adventurous side, Ray's passion turned to purchasing cars and adopting animals, a love that frequently caused "raised eyebrows."Ray would help anyone who was in need, from family to friends, quietly providing whatever support was needed He will be truly missed by all who knew him, especially his three children, Alyson Walters, with whom he lived and who cared for him the last three years, son, David (Colleen) of Canfield and Meredith (Craig) Suhar of Austintown. Grandchildren, Jennifer, Jason, Kathryn, Brian, Colin, Corey and Dana.  Great grandchildren, Lexi, Liam, Grace, Sullivan, Hudson, Annaliese, Bryce, Parker, Jonah and Lucy. Besides his parents Ray was preceded in death by his wife the former Gail E. Antes whom he married March 17, 1951 and passed way on March 25, 2003 and a sister, Lila Kaufman. A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday December 9, 2014 at 6:00 pm at Blackstone Funeral Home in Girard, with calling hours from 5:00 pm till time of service. Raymond will be laid to rest at Churchill Cemetery . A special thank you to the following for their compassion and care:  Kim, Dennis, Danielle and Bob, as well as the staff at Hospice House , Poland . In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hospice House 9803 Sharrott Rd. Poland , Ohio 44514. Visit www.blackstonefuneralhome.com to view this obituary and send condolences to the Harrris family.