I have been browsing through the page of "In Memory" to update where I might add some comments. I was amazed that there were zero entries for Homer Harris, so I hope to rectify this "obvious" omission. I have a couple of personal stories regarding Homer, respectfully I thought this clipping would be more appropriate. -ML
I was blessed to reestablish contact with Homer at our 2015 reunion I believe it was, and he shared that he had cancer but that it was "in remission" (my words) ... but after exchanging e-mails for a time, he shared that it had come back, and unfortunately he passed soon after. Below is his obituary from the SR PD, which I saved thas has much of what Mike posted:
As he grew up in Santa Rosa, excelling in sports and music, eating like fitness guru Jack LaLanne and aspiring to become a medical doctor, Homer Harris Jr. became accustomed to people responding to his name by saying, “Oh, I know your dad!”
When World War II veteran Homer Harris Sr. brought his family to Santa Rosa in 1953, few other African-American families lived here.
The elder Harris became beloved as a Methodist preacher, custodian, jail counselor, Sunday morning radio deejay of spiritual music and part-time shoeshine man.
His son, born in 1947 and widely known as Buddy, knew early on he would be a physician. After graduating from Santa Rosa High School in 1965, Homer Harris Jr. went on to Santa Rosa Junior College, then to Cal State Sacramento, then to Nashville’s Meharry Medical College.
Said his proud mother, Beatrice Harris, well-known in Santa Rosa for her long career as a preschool administrator and teacher, “We were as poor as Job’s turkey, but Homer made it through.”
Her son became a family doctor and launched a career that took him to Illinois, where he worked first at hospitals and then at two prisons. He returned for a time to the Bay Area then moved to the Central Valley, opening a private practice in the Merced County town of Dos Palos in 2005.
Harris was a confirmed bachelor until his marriage earlier this year to Mary Clements of Turlock.
She was with him when he died Nov. 6 of complications of prostate cancer. He was 70.
Just as he was known for much of his life as the Rev. Homer Harris’ son, Wanda Harris says she grew up being recognized mostly as Buddy Harris’ sister.
She said that as a boy and young man, her brother was an “A” student, a pioneer of heath foods, a saxophone player and drill team drillmaster, a mid-‘60s Boys Club “Boy of the Year” and a fierce competitor with the Neptune Swim Team.
“He swam like a fish,” Wand Harris said.
Buddy Harris played football throughout high school and his undergraduate years. In 1990, he became a student of taekwondo, mastering the martial art and becoming a teacher.
Harris had practiced medicine for a quarter century when he opened his private practice in Dos Palos 12 years ago.
Though he had not lived in Sonoma County for years, Harris remained active in the Santa Rosa High School Foundation. In addition to taekwondo, he enjoyed, in his free time, spending time with his family and his many pets.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Clements-Harris, in Turlock, and by his mother and his sister in Santa Rosa.
Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Willow Glen Funeral Home in San Jose.
P.S. I believe Homer shared that as his career was winding down, he would do "vacation relief" for emergency room doctors all around CA ... with short stints at various places.
I too remember re-uniting with Homer at the 2015 gathering. It was actually the 1st time I had ever talked to him. At the time I told him that I thought he was the handsomest guy in the school, even though I never talked to him. I told him I believed he was the guy all the girls were after. He was embarassed and said "I wish". Homer made impressions he never knew about. I was one of them.
Honoring Homer is so important. Thanks for adding this to the website. One thing none of the obituaries mentioned is what a huge extravert and positivity guru Homer was. You never saw him without a big smile and a hearty hello, how ya doing? In our talks in recent years he shared the pain he experienced due to the racial divide that most of us (me included) accepted as normal. But he sure didn't hold a grudge. He was always so friendly and open to connection. I remember him fondly.
Thank you, Tina and Dale, for adding such valuable, poignant and touching recollections about Homer to our collective grasp of the complex, "true gentleman" he was.
What an honor to be able to reminesce about Homer. Homer and I went to Cook Junior High and Santa Rosa High together and also attended each others' church once in a while! His father's choir would come to our little Baptist Church and ours would go to theirs! Our youth groups were together a lot as well. I remember Pastor Harris and Homer providing much needed charity work in Santa rosa for some years. Homer and I went to the Cook Junior High 9th grade 'prom' together and won a Twist contest!! What wonderful memories! He has left a beautiful legacy in everyone that he helped through his personality and then through his medical gifts! The Lord blessed Homer and in turn he blessed us. Love you Homer....
Homer was so nice to Sharon and me throughout high school. We became much closer when he was substituting for my children's pediatrician in Modesto. I had to take my daughter, Jenay, to him, because she had strep throat. Homer took such good care of her. We came back, about 10 days later, for a recheck, and Homer declared that she was cured. Jenay told Dr. Homer that her mommy had bought her a new toothbrush. I think that Homer asked why, and she told him, "Because there are germs on my old toothbrush that might make me sick again." Homer was so impressed, that from then on, and he told me many times, that he told all of his patients who were sick, like Jenay, that a 5 year old girl had told him that they needed to buy a new toothbrush, so they didn't reinfect themselves. He was so cute about it. Homer called many times just to talk. Like Tina, he told me that, although he was good enough for first string, Coach Bagly never let him play in the games, because the teams we played would quit playing us if a black boy was playing. It hurt him a lot. I told him that I had no idea anything like that was happening. As far as I was concerned, even back then, we are all God's children. God doesn't care what our skin color is, and I felt the same way.
I was so happy when I finally met Mary. She is so sweet, and she took such amazing care of Homer. She and Homer completely surprised me, by coming to my retirement party at Hart-Ransom School in Modesto. They made that day so special. Homer said that he found out about the party on FaceBook.
Randy and I attended Homer's funeral Mary did the most beautiful job preparing everything I took pictures of all the pictures she had out honoring Homer throughout his life Homer was VERY special to me I think of him every April 26th on his birthday, and I will always remember how kind and generous he was He was a true friend!!!✝️❤️🙏
Homer was one of those guys that by being our friend just made us better people. It was great to talk with him and get a picture of he, Stuart Sudduth, Mark Trombetta and me at the 50th reunion. I remember being in "Circle K" at SRJC in 1966 and being part of the Chariot Race with him. He spurred us on with his power and speed and was a bit disappointed when we only finished a close second.
It seermd to me that during the mid 60's Kresses Department Store on 4th Street posted a "Black's Area" for seating near the back of their lunch counter. What a "crock!" A group of us wanted to grab Homer, sit at the front and protest that "Bull Crap!" I miss Homer greatly! John Howe
Mike Lindsay
I have been browsing through the page of "In Memory" to update where I might add some comments. I was amazed that there were zero entries for Homer Harris, so I hope to rectify this "obvious" omission. I have a couple of personal stories regarding Homer, respectfully I thought this clipping would be more appropriate. -ML
Mark Gilbert
I was blessed to reestablish contact with Homer at our 2015 reunion I believe it was, and he shared that he had cancer but that it was "in remission" (my words) ... but after exchanging e-mails for a time, he shared that it had come back, and unfortunately he passed soon after. Below is his obituary from the SR PD, which I saved thas has much of what Mike posted:
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7640131-181/santa-rosa-native-homer-harris?ref=TSM&artslide=1
CHRIS SMITH The Press Democrat November 14, 2017
As he grew up in Santa Rosa, excelling in sports and music, eating like fitness guru Jack LaLanne and aspiring to become a medical doctor, Homer Harris Jr. became accustomed to people responding to his name by saying, “Oh, I know your dad!”
When World War II veteran Homer Harris Sr. brought his family to Santa Rosa in 1953, few other African-American families lived here.
The elder Harris became beloved as a Methodist preacher, custodian, jail counselor, Sunday morning radio deejay of spiritual music and part-time shoeshine man.
His son, born in 1947 and widely known as Buddy, knew early on he would be a physician. After graduating from Santa Rosa High School in 1965, Homer Harris Jr. went on to Santa Rosa Junior College, then to Cal State Sacramento, then to Nashville’s Meharry Medical College.
Said his proud mother, Beatrice Harris, well-known in Santa Rosa for her long career as a preschool administrator and teacher, “We were as poor as Job’s turkey, but Homer made it through.”
Her son became a family doctor and launched a career that took him to Illinois, where he worked first at hospitals and then at two prisons. He returned for a time to the Bay Area then moved to the Central Valley, opening a private practice in the Merced County town of Dos Palos in 2005.
Harris was a confirmed bachelor until his marriage earlier this year to Mary Clements of Turlock.
She was with him when he died Nov. 6 of complications of prostate cancer. He was 70.
Just as he was known for much of his life as the Rev. Homer Harris’ son, Wanda Harris says she grew up being recognized mostly as Buddy Harris’ sister.
She said that as a boy and young man, her brother was an “A” student, a pioneer of heath foods, a saxophone player and drill team drillmaster, a mid-‘60s Boys Club “Boy of the Year” and a fierce competitor with the Neptune Swim Team.
“He swam like a fish,” Wand Harris said.
Buddy Harris played football throughout high school and his undergraduate years. In 1990, he became a student of taekwondo, mastering the martial art and becoming a teacher.
Harris had practiced medicine for a quarter century when he opened his private practice in Dos Palos 12 years ago.
Though he had not lived in Sonoma County for years, Harris remained active in the Santa Rosa High School Foundation. In addition to taekwondo, he enjoyed, in his free time, spending time with his family and his many pets.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Clements-Harris, in Turlock, and by his mother and his sister in Santa Rosa.
Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Willow Glen Funeral Home in San Jose.
P.S. I believe Homer shared that as his career was winding down, he would do "vacation relief" for emergency room doctors all around CA ... with short stints at various places.
Dale Maggio
I too remember re-uniting with Homer at the 2015 gathering. It was actually the 1st time I had ever talked to him. At the time I told him that I thought he was the handsomest guy in the school, even though I never talked to him. I told him I believed he was the guy all the girls were after. He was embarassed and said "I wish". Homer made impressions he never knew about. I was one of them.
Christine Sloat (Faux)
Honoring Homer is so important. Thanks for adding this to the website. One thing none of the obituaries mentioned is what a huge extravert and positivity guru Homer was. You never saw him without a big smile and a hearty hello, how ya doing? In our talks in recent years he shared the pain he experienced due to the racial divide that most of us (me included) accepted as normal. But he sure didn't hold a grudge. He was always so friendly and open to connection. I remember him fondly.
Bob Huntington
Thank you, Tina and Dale, for adding such valuable, poignant and touching recollections about Homer to our collective grasp of the complex, "true gentleman" he was.
Janet Adams (Allen)
What an honor to be able to reminesce about Homer. Homer and I went to Cook Junior High and Santa Rosa High together and also attended each others' church once in a while! His father's choir would come to our little Baptist Church and ours would go to theirs! Our youth groups were together a lot as well. I remember Pastor Harris and Homer providing much needed charity work in Santa rosa for some years. Homer and I went to the Cook Junior High 9th grade 'prom' together and won a Twist contest!! What wonderful memories! He has left a beautiful legacy in everyone that he helped through his personality and then through his medical gifts! The Lord blessed Homer and in turn he blessed us. Love you Homer....
Jan Allen [Adams]
Sheryl Pearson (Chaffey)
Homer was so nice to Sharon and me throughout high school. We became much closer when he was substituting for my children's pediatrician in Modesto. I had to take my daughter, Jenay, to him, because she had strep throat. Homer took such good care of her. We came back, about 10 days later, for a recheck, and Homer declared that she was cured. Jenay told Dr. Homer that her mommy had bought her a new toothbrush. I think that Homer asked why, and she told him, "Because there are germs on my old toothbrush that might make me sick again." Homer was so impressed, that from then on, and he told me many times, that he told all of his patients who were sick, like Jenay, that a 5 year old girl had told him that they needed to buy a new toothbrush, so they didn't reinfect themselves. He was so cute about it. Homer called many times just to talk. Like Tina, he told me that, although he was good enough for first string, Coach Bagly never let him play in the games, because the teams we played would quit playing us if a black boy was playing. It hurt him a lot. I told him that I had no idea anything like that was happening. As far as I was concerned, even back then, we are all God's children. God doesn't care what our skin color is, and I felt the same way.
I was so happy when I finally met Mary. She is so sweet, and she took such amazing care of Homer. She and Homer completely surprised me, by coming to my retirement party at Hart-Ransom School in Modesto. They made that day so special. Homer said that he found out about the party on FaceBook.
Randy and I attended Homer's funeral Mary did the most beautiful job preparing everything I took pictures of all the pictures she had out honoring Homer throughout his life Homer was VERY special to me I think of him every April 26th on his birthday, and I will always remember how kind and generous he was He was a true friend!!!✝️❤️🙏
John Howe
Homer was one of those guys that by being our friend just made us better people. It was great to talk with him and get a picture of he, Stuart Sudduth, Mark Trombetta and me at the 50th reunion. I remember being in "Circle K" at SRJC in 1966 and being part of the Chariot Race with him. He spurred us on with his power and speed and was a bit disappointed when we only finished a close second.
It seermd to me that during the mid 60's Kresses Department Store on 4th Street posted a "Black's Area" for seating near the back of their lunch counter. What a "crock!" A group of us wanted to grab Homer, sit at the front and protest that "Bull Crap!" I miss Homer greatly! John Howe