Eugene Collins Harris

Eugene Collins Harris was born on March 1, 1941, to Rufus and Charlie Mae Harris near Cedar Springs, Georgia, in Early County’s Allen Chapel Community.  He was the tenth of twelve children.  Eugene was preceded in death by his father, mother, and seven siblings:  Dorothy, John, Nellie, Charles, Mary, Juanita, and William.  In 1969, Eugene married the love of his life, Agnes Nydia Muñez, after meeting at a laundromat on Gates Avenue in Brooklyn, New York.  She was enrolled in Queens College.  This union was blessed with 52 years of Holy Matrimony producing two children, Naomi and Emily. He accepted Christ at an early age by uniting with Calvary Seventh-day Adventist Church, Blakely, Georgia.  Later he joined Hanson Place Seventh-day Adventist Church in Brooklyn, New York, where he served as a Deacon.

Eugene was enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) while attending and graduating from Tuskegee University.  Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on October 20, 1961.  He served for two years in the regular Army and retired on October 27, 1963, earning the rank of First Lieutenant.  He served in the Army Reserve from 1964 to 196,  earning the rank of Captain.  Eugene graduated from Washington High School as an honor student in the Class of 1957.  He enrolled in Tuskegee University and graduated with a degree in Electronic Engineering.  He furthered his education by enrolling in Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.   To his credit, he bought and managed a four-unit apartment building.

Eugene was employed by Westinghouse for many years before it merged with Grumman Corporation.  He had traveled over the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge so much that he was relieved that he did not have to be careful to not be caught in traffic.  After retiring, he worked part time for the City of Brooklyn as a building inspector. 

Eugene is survived by his wife, Agnes Nydia Harris in Brooklyn, New York; and daughters Naomi Mae Miller Greaves (John III) in Dallas, Georgia, and Emily Grace Harris in Brooklyn, New York.  His grandchildren are James Greaves (Nicole) in Chicago, Illinois, Marshall Miller Greaves, Malcolm J. Miller, Juaquin Greaves, and Norah Greaves in Dallas, Georgia; and his siblings are brothers James W. Harris (Frances) in Ozark, Alabama, and Benny R. S. Harris in Ocala, Florida; and sisters Annette H. Bullard in Albany, Georgia, and Ruth H. Washington in Blakely, Georgia.  He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, cousins and friends.

Eugene’s earlier years were spent being nurtured in a Christian home with parents who believed the Bible was the manual to raise God-fearing children.  As we gathered for mealtimes, each person had to repeat a Bible verse and tell where it was found.  You could not repeat the same one for each meal.  It was always a joy to see our parents read and explain the practical applications. Daddy always had a verse to match whatever the task ahead.  For instance, “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop”; therefore, there were chores to be done.  One of the many was to “train up a child in the way he/she should go, and he/she will not depart from it”.

Eugene thanked God over and over for giving us parents that believed in education.  My maternal grandfather was a teacher/professor.  Our mother was determined that her children would never stay out of school to harvest the crops.  She would come home, change clothes, and join us in the field even though she still had to get supper, do laundry, and prepare her lesson for the next day.  Her desire to help other community members learn to read was so great that she taught adults in the evening.  Daddy on the other hand purchased a school bus, so the children in the community would have a way to school.  When Daddy would say “Thank you Jesus” for everything it bugged us; but as Eugene began to wane, he told us that he fully understood Gratitude.  Eugene told us how grateful he was when Emily was able to connect us to share memories.  He thanked God for the excellent care that he was given, and she was by his side until the very end.

Daddy spent a lot of time with Eugene, because he was tinkering with something and asking questions.  He was a farm boy that moved to the city but never lost his love for the farm.  He always wanted to check on his youngest sister’s fruit trees and garden.

The memory that Ruth will remember the most is the time he spent on her front porch looking over at where they grew up.  His request was to make his last ride and pause before his old home house and hers before his final departure.

James Woodrow Harris, aka “Big Jim”, called Eugene almost every day just to hear him tell the story of the little corn on the hill that would not grow until Daddy went to Tifton to learn what type of fertilizer he should use.  Today, he will be telling the story of the friendship and love they had.  He wanted to eulogize his brother where others would know about the well-lived life he experienced.

His favorite poems, as well as Daddy’s, were “If” by Rudyard Kipling and “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes.

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