HERMON – Senior Master Sgt. Ralph V. Harris, 79, passed away peacefully Nov. 9, 2006 at a Bangor hospital after a long, courageous battle with cancer. He was born Oct. 14, 1927, in Etna, the son of Carroll and Susan (Damon) Harris. Ralph graduated from Carmel High School in 1945. He served in World War II and the Korean War. In 1949 he joined the Maine Air National Guard, where he retired in 1986. In 1980 he received the Guard’s prestigious Minuteman Award, as the best United States supply manager in the Air National Guard. In January 1963, he was on the Air National Guard volunteer search and rescue team who rescued the survivors of the B-52 plane crash on Elephant Mountain in Greenville. Ralph loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping and canoeing. He was happiest when he was busy mowing the lawn and making things in his workshop. He was a member of the Bangor VFW Post No. 761, the Etna Grange, past president of Boulier Place Apartments and a member of the Carmel Congregational Church. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Kathleen (McGown) of Hermon; three children, Roxanna and her husband, Audie Gould, of Hermon, Ralph Jay of Augusta, Rhonda and her husband, Bill Crowley, of Carmel; four grandchildren, Scot and Amy Gould of Hermon, Matthew and Adam Crowley of Carmel; two great- grandchildren, Wanda and Alex; his sister, Charlotte Harris of Bangor; three sisters-in-law, Barbara Oldenburg, Eula Littlefield, both of Hermon and Mary Harris of Eastbrook; six very special nieces, Gaynor Reynolds, Gail Sinclair, Karen Schacht, Kate Hoak, Loretta Opsal and Leitha Robinson. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Charles. Friends may call 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor, where funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, with the Rev. Richard M. Dickinson, U.S. Air Force Chaplain, officiating. Interment with military honors will be after the service at Highland Cemetery, Carmel. Gifts in his memory may be sent to Eastern Maine Charities, Eastern Maine Medical Center, P.O. Box 404, Bangor, ME 04402-0404. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com
SENIOR MASTER SGT. RALPH V. HARRIS
