Terry Harris

Marion - Terry Wayne “Hoss” Harris passed away from complications of pneumonia at the John F. Keever, Jr. Solace Center in Asheville on Monday, September 20, 2021. Born on November 4, 1940, he was the son of the late Vivian Thomas Craig Harris and Truman Harris. He was also preceded in death by his youngest brother, Edwin Harris, and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Garthia & Beatrice Carroll. He was born in Beaufort County Hospital in Washington, NC and grew up at Douglas Crossroads near Bath, NC. He attended Bath High School grades 1-12, playing and lettering in all sports, and was one the most outstanding athletes to come out of Beaufort County. He was chosen to play in the East-West Basketball All-Star Game in 1959 and was a member of the Bath High School Football team that won the 1A State Championship in 1959 as well. He attended Atlantic Christian College on Baseball and Basketball Scholarships and worked at Thurston Motor Lines as well during college. He was signed to play Professional Baseball for The Philadelphia Phillies Organization and played Class A Club in Spartanburg, SC. This was an accomplishment he was very proud of and was a boyhood dream he was able to achieve. Following his baseball career, he taught school at Pantego High School, Pantego, NC, where he coached the Boys and Girls Basketball teams. Upon moving back to Sampson County, he worked in Quality Control at Burlington Industries in Fayetteville until the plant closed. He worked for Fayetteville Recreation & Parks while his childhood friend, Jimmy Tyre was the Director of the Department for many years. During this time, he continued to work with youth sports leagues and this brought him a great deal of joy. He left Recreation & Parks to help his father-in-law at Carroll’s IGA/General Store and then at Carrol’ls Supermarket in Stedman, NC, for his brother-in-law, Allen and nephew, Kevin Carroll, until his retirement. Terry was an outgoing person that never met a stranger and always had a smile, kind word, and a joke for all he met. Surviving are his wife, Linda Carroll Harris; his daughter, Melanie Renee Harris (Jeff Higdon); two granddaughters, Haley Carroll Haitz (Connor) and Riley Elizabeth English, great grandchildren, Liberty Elizabeth Haitz and Rowen Connor Haitz and brothers, Morgan H. Harris (Margaret) and Neil C. Harris; sister, Nell Harris Howell (Vernon); brothers-in-law, Kenneth Carroll (Brenda) and G. Allen Carroll (Susan); nieces, Krisiti Carroll, Dana Harris (Johnathan) and Kelly Carroll Bunn (Michael); nephews, Vince Harris (Tamara), Todd Howell (Reagan), Ken Carroll II, Winston Howell (Kristi), Kevin Carroll (Kimberly) and Martin Harris (Lindsay). In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the following charities and worthy causes: WNC Bridge Foundation for WNC’s Greatest Needs, P.O. Box 1315, Arden, NC 28704 or Foundation of Hope, 9401 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27617.