A tribute to Stephen R. Harris, Jr.:

On October 5th, 1985, I was late for a blind date!  A friend of mine had decided  that she had the perfect man in mind for me, and had worked very hard to make arrangements for us to meet.  As I hurried downtown to Oglethorpe Square in Savannah, GA, I was not aware that I was about to meet my future husband.  I searched for a parking place in the crowded square, and  caught a glimpse of a tall, blonde, very handsome man.  He was leaning on the back of his blue Chevy Blazer, waiting for me to arrive with his arms crossed and a smile on his face.  As I approached him, it was obvious that besides being physically beautiful, Steve Harris was at ease and confident, and had a smile that I would never forget.  His arms uncrossed, and he extended his strong right hand to me.  It was love at first sight. 

As we walked down the Riverwalk and met some of his friends, I found myself feeling at ease with Steve.  He had a way of using his confidence and warmth to reach out to people and make anyone feel comfortable.  As the evening progressed, it was apparent that we had many things in common, not only including our political and religious beliefs, but also a love for Jimmy Buffet, history, travel and the Andy Griffith Show. 

After our first date, I received a basket of flowers with an invitation to have dinner with Steve at Elizabeth's on 37th Street, an upscale restaurant in historic Savannah.  How romantic!  I knew that I had lost my heart to this native Savannahian. 

Steve and I were married on September 6th, 1986.  He instantly became a member of the Barrow family, and was especially loved by the Barrow children (Lori gave him a ring and asked him to marry her!).  He, and his children, Kate and Stephen, joined our family, and shared in many family traditions, such as Barrow Thanksgivings and trips to the Nantahala River.  During the course of our marriage, I learned so much from Steve.  He taught me how to fish, hunt, shoot, golf, ski and even helped me get through my MBA.  He taught me about English history, plate techtonics, and  how to  identify a bird of prey. 

When Steve was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 1998, everyone felt as if they had been hit in the stomach.  We all rallied to help him with all kinds of support. and prayer.  He was blessed to have found an excellent neurosurgeon in San Francisco who worked aggressively to help Steve beat this cancer for several years. 

On May 1st, at age 50, Steve succumbed to his cancer.  He died peacefully, with family at his side.  I have no doubt that he felt peace and joy when he saw his father, grandparents and Jesus gather to his bedside and lift him into heaven.   It gives me great pleasure to know that he feasted with the Lord that day, and that he got to see so many of the people he had held dear in his life.

May God bless Steve Harris, and hold him close until we see him again.

Ann Barrow Harris