Walter William Harriss

Obituary 1956 Walter William Harriss son of William Braddock Harriss and Frances Lucy McKinney

Transcribed by MaryFrances Flournoy 23 August 2007 from The El Campo Citizen, El Campo, Wharton County, Texas dated Thursday 18 October 1956 (reprinted by permission)
POSTMASTER DIES SUNDAY ON EVE OF RETIREMENT

Death came at 1:30 a.m. Sunday to Postmaster W. W. Harriss, less than two weeks from the time he had announced his resignation and retirement, effective November 30, from forty-one years of service with the Postal Department.

On October 2, 1956, the Postmaster said that deteriorating health made it unfair to the department, public or employees for him to continue even though he was eligible for three more years of service. Walter Harriss was appointed postmaster at El Campo in Novembe 1948, after having served as clerk, 4th Class Postmaster and Assistant Postmaster over a period of thirty years. His life was devoted to public service.

Active in Masonic circles, Walter Harriss served as Worshipful Master of El Campo Lodge 918, A.F.&A.M. in 1925-26. He served on the Texas Grand Lodge Grievance and Appeals Committee from 1944 to 1949. He was chosen District Deputy Grand Master of the 32nd Masonic District of Texas for 1939-40.

Walter Harriss was preceded in death by one son, Hugh, who gave his life for his country at Pearl Harbor in December, 1941. The American Legion Post in El Campo was renamed Craig-Harriss post in honor of Hugh Harriss. Walter William Harriss was born August 11, 1889 at Sulphur Springs, Texas. He died at 1:30 a.m. Sunday, October 14, 1956, in Nightingale Hospital, at the age of 67.

Funeral services for the late postmaster were held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 16, from the chapel of Wheeler Funeral Home, the Rev. Vernon F. Perry officiating.

Masonic graveside services were conducted by El Campo Lodge 918, A.F.&A.M. Pallbearers were Dr. Frank Swanson, Eugene Azbill, Richard Langdon, A. J. Isaacson, A.A. Heard and P.C. Owen. Walter W. Harriss is survived by his wife, four daughters, Mrs. L. T. McGaugh and Mrs. Kenoth Flournoy of El Campo, Mrs. J. M. Martin, Fort Worth and Mrs. Joe Jones, Arlington, Virginia; two sons, Robert Harriss of Berkeley, California and Ben Harriss of Lafayette, Indiana; one sister, Mrs. A. V. Lewis of Fort Worth; one brother, M. B. Harriss of Austin; stepmother, Mrs. W.B. Harriss of Houston; three half brothers; four half sisters and seven grandchildren.

end of obituary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by MaryFrances Flournoy 23 August 2007 from The El Campo Citizen, El Campo, Wharton County, Texas dated Thursday 5 October 1956 (reprinted by permission)

W. W. HARRISS RESIGNS AS EL CAMPO POSTMASTER

Postmaster Walter W. Harriss announced Tuesday morning that he has tendered his resignation as Postmaster, effective at the close of business November 30, 1956.

Harriss said that in the face of deteriorating health "it is not fair to the department, public or employees for me to continue." The voluntary application for retirement has been made by Harriss even though he was eligible to service for three more years.

Walter Harriss has worked in the postal service for forty-one years. He has served as a clerk, 4th Class postmaster, Assistant Postmaster for many years and since November 1948 as Postmaster of the El Campo Post Office.

Harriss said that when he came to the El Campo office, annual receipts were $8,000. In 1955 postal receipts were over $100,000. No replacement has been named at this date. Before November 30 the Postmaster General will name an acting postmaster to serve until such time as a permanent appointment can be made.

Harriss was high in his praise of two men in the office now. He said that both W. S. Anthis and J. I. Christenberry are qualified for the position, and he hopes that one of them will receive the permanent appointment. "We are all interested in good postal service and to get good service we need good men at the head," Harris said.

The man appointed to serve as acting postmaster will take charge on November 30 and will continue until such time as a new appointment is made.

Harriss has worked under every president since W. H. Taft and under every postmaster general since Hitchcock. When he came to the El Campo office there was a postmaster, assistant postmaster, part time clerk and three rural carriers. The El Campo office now has 25 employees. He has seen many changes in postal service and regulations in his 41 years of service. He has seen the post office sell surplus groceries after World War I, has seen the weight limit on packages go from four pounds to seventy.

If no local employee is appointement to the office, a competitive examination will be held. From the three highest the President will recommend an appointee. The Senate when in convenes in 1957, will then have to approve the appointment. Harriss said Tuesday that he was going to catch up on his fishing, at doctor's orders.

Until failing health curtailed his activities, Walter Harriss was active in various organizations. He is a past master of the El Campo Masonic Lodge, and has served on committees of the Grand Lodge of Texas . Harriss' life has been devoted to service of the public and his fellow man. A son, Hugh, paid the supreme sacrifice in service of the country at Pearl Harbor . The American Legion post in El Campo was renamed Craig-Harriss in honor and memory of the son.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by MaryFrances Flournoy 23 August 2007 from The El Campo News, El Campo, Wharton County, Texas dated Thursday 18 October 1956 (reprinted by permission)

POSTMASTER HARRISS EXPIRES HERE SUNDAY

Had Announced Retirement Plans After 43 Years Only 2 Weeks Ago Funeral services for 67-year old Walter William Harriss, El Campo postmaster since 1948 and a member of the postal service for nearly 43 years including 39 years at the El Campo post office were conducted from the Wheeler Chapel at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Harriss, who on Oct. 2nd had announced that he was retiring from the postal service on Nov. 1st, died in Nightingale Hospital Sunday following a heart attack. He had been in failing health for several months. He had announced his voluntary retirement plans two weeks ago even though he was eligible to serve the postal department for three more years. At the time he said he was stepping down because of his health and because he was "way behind on his fishing."

It was announced Wednesday that assistant postmaster Bill Anthis would have charge of the post office until the appointment of a new postmaster is made. Anthis and J. I. Christenberry were both highly recommended by Harriss at the time of his retirement announcement.

Harriss became acting postmaster in El Campo on Nov. 1, 1948 and named permanent postmaster the following August. Prior to that he had had a long tenure of postal service starting in 1912 when he went to work as postmaster at Gainsmore in Matagorda County. He returned to El Campo in 1917 as a temporary employee in the local post office and and remained there ever since. He was assistant postmaster here for approximately 30 years.

Born in Sulphur Springs, Texas on August 11, 1889, Harriss had resided in El Campo for nearly 50 years. Until failing health began to hamper his activities, he was quite active in local church and lodge work. The local Craig-Harriss American Legion Post is co-named in honor of his son, Hugh, who was killed while serving with the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

Survivors include the widow; four daughters, Mrs. L. T. McGaugh, Mrs. Kenoth Flournoy, both of El Campo, Mrs. J. M. Martin of Fort Worth and Mrs. Joe Jones of Arlington, Va ; two sons, Robert of Berkeley, Calif . and Ben of Lafayette, Ind .; one sister, Mrs. A. V. Lewis of Fort Worth ; one brother, M. B. Harriss of Austin; and his step-mother Mrs. W. B. Harriss of Houston. Also surviving are three half-brothers, four half-sisters and seven grandchildren.

The Rev. Vernon F. Perry of The First Methodist Church offficiated at the funeral services. Interment was made in the ODHS Garden of Memories with graveside services under the auspices of the El Campo Lodge No. 918 A.F.&A.M.

Pallbearers were Dr. Frank Swanson, Gene Azbill, Richard Langdon, A. J. Isaacson, A.A. Heard and P.C. Owen.

end of obituary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by MaryFrances Flournoy 23 August 2007 from The El Campo News, El Campo, Wharton County, Texas dated Thursday 4 October 1956 (reprinted by permission)

LOCAL POSTMASTER TO RETIRE AFTER 44 YEARS IN SERVICE
El Campo Postmaster Walter W. Harriss, 43 years in the postal service including nearly 39 years in the El Campo post office, this week announced he had tendered his resignation effective at the close of business on Nov. 30th.

Harriss said he was stepping to the sidelines because of deterioating health. He said: "I don't like that as it isn't fair to the department, employees and to the public." He then jovially added that he was "way behind" on his fishing.

The voluntary application for retirement was made even though he was eligible to serve the postal department for three more years.

Long Tenure

Harriss became acting postmaster in El Campo on Nov. 1 1948 and named permanent postmaster on August 5, 1949. Prior to that he had had a long tenure of duty in the postal service, starting in 1912 when he went to work as postmaster at Gainsmore in Matagorda County. He returned to El Campo in 1914, as a temporary employee in the local post office and has remained ever since. Before becoming postmaster here he was assistant postmaster for approximately 30 years. In addition to his postal service, Harriss is also regarded as being the only living ex-employee of El Campo's first telephone exchange, going to work at a $10 per month telephone messenger in 1903 as a 14 year-old youngster.

No successor has been selected for Harriss. The U.S. Postmaster General will appoint an acting postmaster to serve from the Nov. 30th date until a permanent appointment can be made. Harriss said he has one of the finest crews working for him in the El Campo office that could be found in any post office. He added that both, Bill Anthis and J. I. Christenberry, next in command, are well qualified for the post. In fact, he said he would favor both of them for the position.

Harriss has served under every President since William Howard Taft. He said when he first came to the El Campo office the annual receipts were about $8,000. In 1955 the receipts were over $100,000 for the second straight year.

Enjoyed It All

Also when he first joined the local office there was a postmaster, an assistant, a part time clerk and three rural carriers. Today there are 25 employees. He has also seen the many changes in regulations and service of the postal department down through the years and even recalls the time when the El Campo post office sold surplus groceries for the government after World War One.

"It has been a grand career," he said, "and I have enjoyed every bit of it."

Until failing health curtailed his activities, Harriss was quite active in various organizations. He is a past master of the El Campo Masonic Lodge and has served on various committees of the Grand Lodge of Texas.

end of article

Back To Obituaries

Back To Wharton County Research Index