Walter Harris

THOMASTON- Walter Donald Harris, 91,of 97 Edgewood Ave. Thomaston, passed away Sunday, November 29, 2009 at Waterbury Hospital. He was the husband of Maude (Farive) (Mowery) Harris

Dr. Harris was born on February 16, 1918 in Nashville, Ohio a son of the late William and Ida (Ulman) Harris. He received his bachelor's degree at the College of Wooster, and then completed his doctorate in Chemistry at Ohio State University. Upon completion of his formal academic training, he moved to Naugatuck, where he secured a position at United States Rubber, where he initially was a research chemist, and then moved into the Commercial Development Unit at Uniroyal Incorporated as an industrial toxicologist. He quickly established himself as a leader in the agricultural division, where he is credited with several patents related to pesticide development. With these successes, Walter was moved to the Uniroyal Corporate Headquarters in New York City, where he worked as Uniroyal's Industrial Toxicologist. He returned to Naugatuck in 1971 and continued his leadership role at the Oxford Headquarters of Uniroyal until his retirement in 1984.

Walt was all about family. He married Harriett Klein, who passed away in 1976. Blessed with four children with Harriett, Walt is survived by his four children and their spouses: Ruth A. and Greg Runkle of Pennsville, NJ; Barbara J. and Dan Kurtak of Round Mountain, NV; Amy B. and Paul Lindsay of Northwood, NH; and William D. and Debra Harris of Spokane, WA. His children and spouses graced him with six grandchildren. Walt married Maude (Faivre) Mowrey and continued to live in Naugatuck on Allerton Road and later on Hillside Avenue. Walt is survived by seven step children and spouses: Wayne and Ruth Mowrey of Northfield, CT; Gary Mowrey of Red Bluff, CA; Craig and Elsa Mowrey of Sommerset, NJ; Rhea and Keat Sanford of Naugatuck, CT; Beth and Michael Machado of Yreka, CA; Joyce Mowrey and Christopher Craig of Goshen, CT; and Alan (Chip) and Marne Mowrey of Middlebury, CT. Fourteen step grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren filled Walt's homesteads with love, laughter, and great joy.

Walter was also all about community. A spiritual man, Walt was a long time member of the United Methodist Church, where he assumed numerous leadership roles. He was a member of the Naugatuck Board of Education, volunteered for the American Red Cross and Waterbury Hospital Volunteer Services, was President of the Naugatuck YMCA, served as Chairman of the Environment Commission in Naugatuck, and co-founded the Naugatuck Garden Club. Having grown up on a working farm in Ohio, care and attention to the land was the man's passion. His vegetable and flower gardens were models of organization and beauty, from the burst of Spring through Fall harvests. Walt is lovingly remembered as an especially intelligent man for his gifts of knowledge, compassion, and sharing with all of his many friends and family. Calm, generous, and gracious in all of his feelings and thoughts, Walt's love of order and beauty defines his contributions and our memories of him as a professional, a man of principles, dedicated to service and the constant center of his family.

A memorial service will be held at the Alderson Funeral Home of Naugatuck, 201 Meadow St. on Saturday, December 5th at 2pm. Burial will be private in Grove Cemetery, Naugatuck. Donations can be made in Walter Harris's name to the United Methodist Church of Naugatuck, 214 Meadow St., Naugatuck, 06770