James E. “Jim” Harris

79, Minot, originally of

Wayland, NY died Friday,

February 26, 2021 in his

home surrounded by his

loving family after a

three-year courageous bat-

tle with pancreatic cancer.

Jim was born the day

after Pearl Harbor on De-

cember 8, 1941 alongside

twin sister Joan in upstate

New York in the small

community of Wayland,

to William and Evelyn

(Brungard) Harris. He

called Wayland home

during his youth, where

baseball was the game,

the only team was the

New York Yankees and

favorite players were Di-

Maggio, Mantle and

Maris.

Jim came from a loving

home that included two

older siblings Barbara and

Wayne and beagle dogs. A

local vacant lot on Wash-

ington Street dubbed

“Wildcat Stadium” played

host to many great base-

ball games he played as a

child in the 1950’s. Jim

graduated from high

school in 1959.

He enlisted into the US

Air Force at the age of 18.

He was stationed at Glas-

gow AFB in Montana and

served as an F-101B Crew

Chief of the 13th Fighter

Interceptor Squadron. He

was honorably discharged

on December 27, 1963.

Surgery at John Moses

Hospital on the Minot

AFB introduced him to

Joyce Endresen, a farm

girl from SW Minot. They

were united in marriage

December 25, 1964 at

Saron Lutheran Church,

rural Minot. They lived in

New York until returning

to Minot in 1968.

Jim attended the ND

State School of Science in

Wahpeton and obtained

an F.C.C. First Class Radio

Telephone License

through Brown Institute

in Minneapolis. In 1968

he hired on as the second

shift radioman for the

Great Northern Railroad

at Gavin Yard in Minot,

ND. He retired in 2002 as

an electronics technician

foreman from BNSF

Railroad.While at Burling-ton Northern, Jim was

recognized nationally for

his work on safety in the

Dakota Division.

Jim coached youth

hockey and soccer. He

sharpened 100s of hockey

skates on his homemade

equipment in the base-

ment of his home.

In retirement, Jim en-

joyed fly fishing and trav-

eling in his RV. He also

spent many hours on his

flight simulator.

Jim was a member of

Vincent United Methodist

Church, where he was ac-

tive in various committees

over the years. He also

belonged to the Moose

Lodge, Lure Em’ for Life,

the Brunch Bunch Coffee

Group and the Dakota Fly

Fisherman. Jim served as

president for the Minot

Hockey Boosters and local

NARVE chapter.

Jim will be missed most

by those who knew him

as a loving husband, de-

voted father and grandfa-

ther and trusted friend.

He was thankful for all

the memories he was

blessed with during his

life.

Jim’s family includes

his loving and patient

wife of 56 years, Joyce,

Minot; daughter Dr. Bren-

da Jo (Dan Firehammer)

Harris, son Jay W. (Nancy)

Harris; grandchildren

Naycee, Nya and Kersey

Harris; Elletta and Anika

Firehammer along with

numerous nieces and

nephews.

Jim was preceded in

death by his parents,

brother Wayne, sister Bar-

bara Collins and twin sis-

ter Joan Schields.

Service to Honor the

Life of Jim Harris: 11:00

a.m. Thursday, March 4,

2021 at Vincent United

Methodist Church, Minot.

Face masks required. To

view a livestream of the

service or share memories

and condolences please

access his obituary page at

www.thomasfamily

funeralhome.com

Interment will be held

following Jim’s anatomical

gift for study to the

University of North Dako-

ta Medical School in the

Veterans Section of

Rosehill Memorial Park,

Minot, ND.

Visitation will be held

on Wednesday, March 3,

2021 from 3:00 p.m. until

5:00 p.m. at the Thomas

Family Funeral Home,

Minot.

In lieu of flowers and

plants memorials are pre-

ferred to Vincent United

Methodist Church, Trinity

Hospice or to an organiza-tion of the donor’s choice.