Ewell B Harris

View Funeral Webcast View Video Tribute   Ewell B. Harris, 91, owner of Harris Foodland and long-time resident of Mooresville Pike, died Friday, May 4, 2018 at Morning Pointe Assisted Living. Funeral services will be conducted Monday at 2:00 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Reverend James Sampley officiating. Burial will follow in Friendship Cemetery with military honors provided by the Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19. The family will visit with friends Sunday from 3:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. and Monday from 1:00 P.M. until service time at the funeral home. The family suggests memorials be made to 42nd Rainbow Division Veteran's Foundation Scholarship fund. Gifts may be mailed to Col. Peter P. Riley 22 Almond Tree Lane Warwick NY 10990-2442 or online at rainbowvets.org. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com. Born August 3, 1926 in Giles County, Tennessee, he was the son of the late Bruce Tyler Harris and the late Bessie Wiser Harris. He was a graduate of Culleoka High School and drafted in the United States Army during World War II at the age of 18. As a member of the 42nd Rainbow Division Infantry, he was trained in mortar and artillery. The war ended a few months after he arrived in Germany so he served as a Military Policeman and guarded at the war crimes trials in Germany and Austria. A graduate of Columbia Business College, he worked for Dowdy Grocery, Foremost Dairy, Porter and Walker, and Dupont. Mr. Harris's grocery career spanned fifty-three years at the current location. In 1965 he was hired as assistant manager at H.G. Hill's Grocery. In 1984 he and Ted Prince bought the grocery known as Harris and Prince Foodtown. In 1989, Mr. Harris purchased the store Harris Family Foodland which continues to be operated by his family. He and Mrs. Harris were honored in 2005 by the South Central Tennessee Workforce Development for their years in the workforce. Mr. Harris was a member of Friendship Baptist Church, where he was a former deacon, and served on several committees. He was also a proud member of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4969 and a lifetime member of 42nd Rainbow Division Veteran's Foundation. Survivors include his wife of 65 years, whom he married June 16, 1952, Imogene Peery Harris of Columbia; children, Melanie Harris (Ken) Jordan of Lewisburg; Ronnie (Becky) Harris of Columbia; Jeff (Dana) Harris of Columbia; grandchildren, Amy Jordan (Michael) Parks; Andrew Jordan; Ben Jordan; Zachary Harris; Morgan Harris; Josh Hann; Jacob Hann; great grandchildren, Wilson Parks; Lola Parks; sisters-in-law, Judy Anderson; Carolyn Peery; brother-in-law, W.C. Johnson; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandson, Brent Jordan; and sisters, Wilma Grace Hayes and Mildred Harris. Active pallbearers will be Andrew Jordan, Ben Jordan, Zachary Harris, Josh Hann, Jacob Hann, and Michael Parks. Honorary pallbearers include his caregivers, Debbie Lovely, Brenda Malugin, Linda Cotton, Jennifer Barrier, Leslie Hanson, Nancy Johnson, Georgia McCaleb, and Audreyonia Moss, and his long time employees, Travis Hann, Mike Collins, Jeff Glasco, and Mark McBride. The family would like to express a special thanks to Hospice Compassus, Dr. Cummins Couch, and the staff of Moring Pointe Assisted Living where he resided for the past four years.