Chief Jack Harris

JACK EDWARD HARRIS (affectionately known as Jackie) was born to Willis Harris, Sr. and Wilda Harris on Saturday, March 3, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio. Jack spent his formative years on Olpp Street with the family, later moving to Gibbard Avenue.

At the age of seven, Jack’s first job, along with his brother, Bobby, was helping a neighbor who had a garden. A retired veteran of the United States Army, Jack held many jobs including truck driver for a dry-cleaning business and cook at Frisch’s on Olentangy River Road. He later worked at the Training Institute of Central Ohio (TICO), a juvenile detention center. This led him to a career with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department. As a Deputy, Jack joined the Detective Bureau where he worked on undercover assignments. In 1987, while holding the position of Detective Bureau Commander, Jack was named Assistant Chief Deputy for Civil and Investigative Divisions to include an advancement to Major. Within a matter of time, he was named Chief Deputy of the Detective Bureau for the department. He held this position until his retirement in 1993, having served a total of twenty-seven years. Immediately following retirement, Jack was asked to join and briefly accepted a position with The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), a United States law enforcement agency.

In 1971, a fellow teacher of Mary Ann’s introduced the two. They married the following year on July 8th and celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2022. Traveling to various casinos throughout the country was something they enjoyed doing, in addition to spending time at their second home in Port Clinton, where Jack loved to fish. An avid hunter and cook, Jack took great enjoyment creating meals and desserts of all types. He was known to be a very meticulous dresser. One little-known fact is that Jack loved collecting many “treasures” that no one else wanted!

Jack dearly loved his family and frequently phoned his siblings to make sure they were doing well. His pride and joy were being “Daddy” to Debbie and Jackie, and “PaPa” to Nate and Dominic.

Blessed with eighty-nine years of life, Chief Jack E. Harris peacefully entered eternal rest, at his home, on Monday, June 5, 2023. In addition to his parents, Jack was preceded in death by his sisters, Betty Jane (Chuck) Weatherspoon, Carolyn White, and JoAnn (Clarence “Noonie”) Pearson; his brothers, Richard, Robert “Bobby” (Marlene), Willis Jr. “Junior” (Mary), and Maynard Harris; his brothers-in-law, Jimmie Weatherspoon and Bobby Chandler.

He leaves to cherish his memory, his spouse, Mary Ann Harris; daughters, Deborah Thompson and Jacquelyne Harris; grandsons, Nathaniel Thompson Jr. and Dominic Thompson; sisters, Janice Weatherspoon and Marscha Chandler; brother-in-law, John White; sister-in-law, Olivia Harris; special nieces, Rene McClure, Sherry Jackson, Michelle White, and Tara White; special nephew, Deven White-Revere; and a host of other nieces, nephews, family, and dear friends.