Obituary of Chester L. Harris

Chester L. Harris (Chet) of Binghamton N.Y. Chester L. Harris (Chet), 86, passed away Sunday, January 25, 2009, at home. He was born in Endicott, N.Y. to the late William and Hazel Harris on September 13, 1922. He graduated from the first Vestal High School and played football for the first team in Vestal High School history as a fullback. He assisted in the choosing of the mascot name "Golden Bears". He was a veteran of WWII, having trained in B-17 aircraft as a flight engineer, in Ardmore, Oklahoma nearing the end of the war. He was employed by IBM in various locations in Vestal and Endicott for 38 years, where he started as a toolmaker and progressed to various administrative positions. He served as a Boy Scout leader on the south side of Binghamton for several years. Pine Line Tree Farms was his passion for 50 years, growing Christmas Trees, which he sold locally as well as shipping them up and down the east coast of the United States and to International destinations. He grew trees at various farms in the Southern Tier. He was the past President of the New York State Christmas Tree Grower's Association. He made contributions of Christmas Trees to the Roberson Center for the Arts for their annual display as well as for fund raising. Along with his first wife, Doris Elizabeth Woodworth (Harris), who predeceased him, they co-founded the Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1972 and was a Board of Director and remained as an honorary board member until most recently. He made many contributions to the success of the center including the fabrication of pottery wheels for the use in teaching at the center. The center exists and thrives today. Also, a passion of his was his building of summer homes in North Eastham and South Wellfleet on Cape Cod. Predeceasing him was his second wife, Evelyn Brown (Harris). He is predeceased by his sisters, Mildred Harris, previously of Vestal, N.Y., and Jane Conlon, previously of New Jersey. He is survived by his caring and dedicated care provider, Jackie Harris and is survived by his sisters, Doris Yates and Helen Carr, both of Vestal. He is survived by his three sons, Jeffery W. Harris and his wife, Ann of Orleans, Massachusetts, Mark W. Harris and his wife, Hyun of Princeton, New Jersey, and Barry W. Harris and his wife, Ellen of Wilbraham, Massachusetts. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Elizabeth, David, Jennifer, Matthew, Christine, Jessica and Emily. Funeral Services for Chet will be held on Friday, January 30, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at the Coleman & Daniels Funeral Home, 765 Main St., Vestal. Entombment will be in Vestal Hills Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 29. Donations in his name are requested to be made to the Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, PO Box 756, Truro, Mass 02666