On May 7, 1950 the late Mr. John Otis Harris and the late Mrs. Jeannette Carter (Harris) Perry were blessed with the birth of a handsome baby boy in Social Circle, whom they named Billy. "Bee," as we all affectionately called him, grew up in the Tex Alley & Sandhill community of Covington, where he attended the Washington Street Elementary School. He was introduced to Christ during this time of his life and accepted him as his personal Savior when he joined the Union Springs Baptist Church in Rutledge.
Billy attended R.L. Cousins High School in which he made many friends and began making an impact on the lives of many people that he met along the way. Billy was a successful offensive and defensive tackle with the R.L. Cousins Wolverines Football team. He later graduated in the class of 1968. After graduation he attended Morris Brown College in Atlanta and later joined the US Army where he served two terms of military duty. After completing his military service, he returned home and attended DeKalb Technical Institute where he obtained his HVAC certification. He became employed as a Clerk at the U.S. Postal Service in Atlanta where he would later retire as a Facilities Maintenance Mechanic, after 23 years of employment.
Billy and his sweetheart Brenda were joined in holy matrimony and from this union two sons were born, Kevin and Reginald. During their marriage Billy and Brenda worked to provide for their family and enjoyed many years of love and laughter with their children and grandchildren until the Lord whispered Brenda’s name in 2013 and she answered.
Billy was an intelligent, savvy, and fun-loving person; a gentle giant, known to some as “Kang Bee.” Upon his retirement from the post office he spent his time getting to know his family’s heritage, traveling the blues circuit, developing his photography skills and playing his beloved guitar. Billy especially loved his high school class of 1968 and his post office family.
Sadly, Billy answered his Master's call on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 while surrounded by the ones he laughed with and loved. He is preceded in death by his wife, mother and brother. His transition leaves many to cherish his memories, especially his sons Kevin (LaTonya) Harris and Reginald (Aisha) Harris; his grandchildren, Kalyse, Desmond, Zaniyah, and Zoey Harris; a step-son Tracey Farmer; his brother Larry (Tereta) Harris; three aunts, Mrs. Elizabeth Arnold, Mrs. Lethia Carter and Mrs. Ola Kate Morgan. His loving nieces and nephews, Dexter (Melba) Harris; Cassandra (Chester) Jenkins; Franco, Layonna, Danielle and Mia Harris, and a host of cousins, friends and co-workers, that he loved. We thank God for the gift of his life and the blessing of the time we spent with him.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Union Springs Baptist Church, 1400 W. Main St., in Rutledge, with Rev. Robert Terrell, Jr. and Rev. Willie James Smith officiating.
