Leroy “Lee” Harris of Pocahontas, Tennessee, passed away on August 13, 2026, in Springfield, Tennessee, surrounded by his wife and daughters. Born on July 31, 1947, in Atwood, Tennessee, Lee was the son of Clarence Harris and Ethel Rogers Harris. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Jimmy, Bobby, Billy, Clarence, Jr. “Bud” Harris, and Sue McCarter. He has one surviving sibling, Carolyn Harris Taylor, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Lee is survived by his wife Estella Louise Harris of Springfield, Tennessee; his daughters, Christy Harris-Ford (Mark) of Bolivar, Tennessee, and Lori Harris-Allen (Curtis) of Louisville, Kentucky; grandchildren, Christian Harris, Megan Ikner, Mariah Ruiz, Michaela and Devon Harris-Ford; great-grandchildren Nataleigh and Liam Harris, Cersei Sutton, and Jonathon and Michael Harris-Ford. He is also survived by dear friends, Jeff and Sharyl Eastlake, from Georgia, and Richard Kaul from Springfield, Tennessee.
Lee attended Middleton High School, Class of 1966, and joined the Army that same year. He served honorably during the Vietnam War and was awarded the Bronze Star and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm. Over a military career that spanned two decades, he served in Korea, Vietnam, Germany, and numerous installations throughout the United States. After retiring from active duty in 1986 at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, he continued supporting the military as a civilian employee for another 20 years before retiring at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Following retirement, he settled in Springfield, Tennessee where he especially enjoyed spending time with his grandson, Christian, and great-grandchildren, Nataleigh and Liam, with whom he shared a very special bond.
Lee loved sports of every kind. Wherever the Army took him, he joined bowling leagues and enjoyed golfing, fishing, hunting, skiing, and attending NASCAR races. If he was not actively participating, he was enthusiastically watching. His daughters fondly remember the days when there was only one television in the house and their father happily occupied it with fishing and bowling tournaments, despite their hopes of watching something else or playing on their Nintendo.
Some of his daughter’s happiest memories were Saturday mornings spent watching cartoons with him. He never tired of the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons and laughed at them as though he were seeing them for the very first time. He also loved lighthearted movies such as Smokey and the Bandit and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, laughing so hard at his favorite scenes that his face would turn bright red, no matter how many times he had seen them.
Lee was also an animal lover, a trait he passed on to his daughters and grandchildren.
Throughout the years, the family shared their home with dogs, cats, and the occasional rabbit or bird. Whether patiently carrying an injured dog up and down the stairs in the middle of the night or caring for a beloved cat recovering from a snake bite, Lee always showed compassion and patience toward the animals he loved. In the days before his passing, he told his daughter that he was ready to go home, not because he was miserable in the hospital, but because he missed his cat. Those who loved him the most find comfort in imagining him reunited with his family and many pets who went before him.
A Daughter’s Tribute
Don’t worry about me, Dad. I’ll try not to cry. I promise to ‘not miss work’ and to “be careful driving out there.” I love you and I already miss you so much!
An inurnment with military Honors will be Friday, September 25, 2026, at 1 p.m. at the Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery located at 7931 McCrory Lane, Nashville, Tennessee 37221.
The Magnolia Post