William Fredrick Harris

William Frederick “Billy” Harris, Sr. age 97, died Thursday, September 14, 2023, at John Wesley Villas in Macon, GA.  He was born on February 20, 1926, in Musella, Crawford County, GA, to the late Lucile Ross Harris and John Robert Harris, Sr.  He was predeceased by his second wife, Betty M. Harris and his first wife and mother of his children, Eleanor Haygood Harris.  He was also predeceased by his only daughter, Patricia H. Andrew.  The third of ten children, Billy was also predeceased by his siblings J. R. Harris, Jr., Hinton Harris, Margaret Harris, Doris Almgren and Joyce Hortman. 
 
He is survived by his companion, Charlotte Dorsey, his sons, William F. Harris, Jr., Robert Lamar Harris (Molly Watson and her son, Stuart), John Walter Harris (Lisa Elder and her son, Justin), his grandchildren, Ellen Foy, Melissa Herndon, Bo Harris, Annie Williams, Heather Villanueva, Brad Harris and Jordan Harris, his great grandchildren, Bo Foy, Mason Foy, Cullen Herndon, Carlee Herndon, Carter Harris, Avery Harris, Reid Harris, Weston Williams and Harlan Villanueva, his siblings, Charlie Frank Harris, Russell Harris, Nancy Sneathan and Ann Gillespie, and by numerous nieces and nephews. 
 
After graduating as Valedictorian from Crawford County High School he joined the U. S. Army Air Corps on his 18th birthday in February, 1944, and flew 11 missions as a tail gunner in a B-24 as the war in Europe was drawing to an end.  
 
Billy owned and operated over the years a dairy, then beef farm, trucking company, a wood preserving company and also had real estate investments. 
 
He was a member, director and served as President on multiple occasions of Monroe County Farm Bureau over the years and served on the State Board of Georgia Farm Bureau from 1970-1982, was a member of the Board of Commissioners of Monroe County from 1968-1976, represented the 27th District in the Georgia State Senate from 1983-1993 and served his church, Salem Primitive Baptist Church in Crawford County as its pastor from 1973 until his retirement from that position in 2018.  He also was a member of and loved his associations with his fellow members of AMFICO since 1992. 
 
Billy was a true servant leader in all the organizations he participated in.  He was a wonderful father to his children and loved and adored his grandchildren and great grandchildren.  Anytime that he could spend with them, especially in his later years, were special times for him. 
 
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am, Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at Forsyth United Methodist Church. Interment will follow at Salem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.   The family will greet friends Tuesday, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Monroe County Memorial Chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the donor’s favorite charity. 

Please visit www.monroecountymemorialchapel.com to express your condolences. 

Monroe County Memorial Chapel 86 West Main Street Forsyth has charge of the arrangements.