William Gary Harris

December 13, 1942 - March 4, 2020

William Gary Harris (Gary), age 77, of Rustburg, Virginia, passed away on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in the Bedford Hospice House. He was the loving husband of Carolyn Burnette Harris for fifty-two years. Born in Charlotte County on December 13, 1942, Gary was a son of the late Bernice Smith and Ray Moore Harris. He was a 1961 graduate of Randolph Henry High School, Charlotte Court House; a 1967 graduate of Phillip Business College, Lynchburg; and a U.S. Navy Veteran. He served in the U.S. Navy from April 1962 through June 1966. Gary was employed by the Lynchburg City Schools for 30 years from 1967 through 1997; and was named Administrator of the Year, Lynchburg City Schools, for the 1989-1990 School Year. He served as Clerk of the Lynchburg School Board and as Treasurer of the Lynchburg Municipal Credit Union. Gary was a volunteer for budget review for United Way of Central Virginia for nineteen years and in 1987 received the first Oscar Anderson Award for Outstanding Budget Panel for the United Way of Central Virginia. Gary loved riding his motorcycle, fishing, camping, listening to and playing bluegrass music, and taking road trips to various campgrounds with his wife, Carolyn in their recreational vehicle. He was a member of Rustburg United Methodist Church. In addition to his wife, Carolyn, Gary is survived by one brother, Melvin Harris and his wife, Mary of Springfield; two sisters, Sandra Sharpe and her husband, Tom of Fountain Inn, SC, and Bonnie Betterton and her husband, John of Clayton, NC; one brother-in-law, Hampton "Bud" Burnette of Altavista; one sister-in-law, Phyllis Mayhew and her husband, Jimmy of Lynch Station; nine nieces and nephews, Diane Harris Durscher (John), Karen Harris Cwiklinski, Jason Sharpe, Matthew Sharpe (Paige), Nicole Betterton Key (Chris), Brad Betterton (Angela), Terry Brooks, Selena Booker (David), and Sandy Myers; and several great-nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be conducted at 11:00, a.m., Saturday, March 7, 2020 at Mount Hermon United Methodist Church, Lynch Station by the Rev. L. Raymond McGarr with military honors by American Legion Altavista Memorial Post 36 and Gretna Post 232. The family will receive friends from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m., Friday at Finch and Finch Funeral and Cremation Service, Altavista. The family requests memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, 2050 Langhorne Road, Suite 201, Lynchburg, VA 24501.