TIPTON 0311
12-10-07, 08:49 AM
LtCol William Godfrey Harris USMC (ret), 68, Edmond, OK
William Godfrey Harris, loving husband, father and doting grandfather, age 68, of Edmond, OK, passed away November 27, 2007. He was born in Oklahoma and raised in Southern California. He attended and played football for Van Nuys High School. In 1962, he graduated from California State University - Northridge, where he was a member of the varsity football team. In December 1962, he began his military career as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, CA. On June 24, 1967, he married Patricia Eileen Stokes of North Hollywood, CA. He graduated from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA with a specialty in Vietnamese and then served a one year tour in Vietnam. He was then assigned as Security Company Commander of Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, HI, where his son, Michael, was born. From there he attended the Amphibious Warfare College at Quantico, VA where his daughter, Jennifer, was born. He served at Camp Lejeune, NC for three years and in Newport, RI for one year where he graduated from the Naval War College. From there, he served one year in Okinawa, Japan where he was the division Embarkation officer. Upon Return from Japan, he served as the Commanding Officer of U.S.M.C. Recruit Station Oklahoma City for three years. His next assignment took the family to the Republic of Panama where he served for three years as Commanding Officer Marine Barracks, Panama Canal. He retired from active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1984 and returned with his family to Edmond where he taught 7th grade Geography at Sequoyah Middle School for 12 years. During the course of his Marine Corps career, he received many honors including the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation, the Vietnam Service Medal with six stars, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Meritorious Unit Citation and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. In his retirement, he was able to pursue his love for golf, travel extensively, and devote all of his love and generosity to his wife, children and beloved granddaughter. Bill is survived by his wife, Pat; his son, Major Michael Harris, USMC of San Diego, CA; his daughter, Jenny; son-in-law, Ken and granddaughter, Riley Goettsche of Chicago, IL. He is also survived by his mother, Grace Harris of Edmond; his sister, Gayle Harris-Tuttle of Seal Beach, CA; his brother, Stephen Harris of Granada Hills, CA; several nieces and nephews and numerous caring friends. Services will be held on Saturday, December 1. 2007, at 2:00 pm at Baggerley Funeral Home in Edmond. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund at: www.semperfifund.org (http://www.semperfifund.org)
This Fine Officer was my CO at Security Co,Marine Barracks,Pearl Harbor,Hawaii. He is now Guarding the Gates to Heaven,May you rest in peace Sir ! Hand Salute ! Semper Fi !
P.F.C. Tipton
William Godfrey Harris, loving husband, father and doting grandfather, age 68, of Edmond, OK, passed away November 27, 2007. He was born in Oklahoma and raised in Southern California. He attended and played football for Van Nuys High School. In 1962, he graduated from California State University - Northridge, where he was a member of the varsity football team. In December 1962, he began his military career as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, CA. On June 24, 1967, he married Patricia Eileen Stokes of North Hollywood, CA. He graduated from the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA with a specialty in Vietnamese and then served a one year tour in Vietnam. He was then assigned as Security Company Commander of Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor, HI, where his son, Michael, was born. From there he attended the Amphibious Warfare College at Quantico, VA where his daughter, Jennifer, was born. He served at Camp Lejeune, NC for three years and in Newport, RI for one year where he graduated from the Naval War College. From there, he served one year in Okinawa, Japan where he was the division Embarkation officer. Upon Return from Japan, he served as the Commanding Officer of U.S.M.C. Recruit Station Oklahoma City for three years. His next assignment took the family to the Republic of Panama where he served for three years as Commanding Officer Marine Barracks, Panama Canal. He retired from active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1984 and returned with his family to Edmond where he taught 7th grade Geography at Sequoyah Middle School for 12 years. During the course of his Marine Corps career, he received many honors including the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation, the Vietnam Service Medal with six stars, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Meritorious Unit Citation and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. In his retirement, he was able to pursue his love for golf, travel extensively, and devote all of his love and generosity to his wife, children and beloved granddaughter. Bill is survived by his wife, Pat; his son, Major Michael Harris, USMC of San Diego, CA; his daughter, Jenny; son-in-law, Ken and granddaughter, Riley Goettsche of Chicago, IL. He is also survived by his mother, Grace Harris of Edmond; his sister, Gayle Harris-Tuttle of Seal Beach, CA; his brother, Stephen Harris of Granada Hills, CA; several nieces and nephews and numerous caring friends. Services will be held on Saturday, December 1. 2007, at 2:00 pm at Baggerley Funeral Home in Edmond. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund at: www.semperfifund.org (http://www.semperfifund.org)
This Fine Officer was my CO at Security Co,Marine Barracks,Pearl Harbor,Hawaii. He is now Guarding the Gates to Heaven,May you rest in peace Sir ! Hand Salute ! Semper Fi !
P.F.C. Tipton