On June 28, 1937, Burl Lee Harris entered this world to his parents Ira Clifford and Helen Roberta (Crain) Harris in Arlington, Missouri.
Burl was a graduate of Newburg High School in 1955, and would later serve several years as a member of the Newburg School Board. He attended Newburg Church of God as a young man and then later, First Assembly of God, in Rolla. Burl was known for his tenor voice, that would lend itself to a few gospel groups over the years. Many people would be ministered to through the Singing Pilgrims and The Kinsmen, and later, Echoes of Grace, throughout the Midwest and South. It was a Wednesday night in 1953, all those years ago, that Donna Rucker would hear him sing and fall in love. From this relationship, a beautiful family line would bloom. Burl and Donna were married at the Church of God in Newburg, Missouri, on November 4th, 1956. From this union, Gary Lee (1958-1987), Michael Dale (1960-), Debra Sue (1964-), and Darla Deann (1975-) were born.
Burl served in the Army Reserves from 1956 -1962 as a welder and achieved E5 Sergeant status. Over the years, many knew him as a local barber in the Rolla and Newburg area, a farmer, an avid outdoorsmen and hunter, a board member for Gascosage Electric Coop but the proudest title he carried was “PaPa”. Through marriage, he gained two son-in-laws and a daughter-in-law, and seven grandchildren. He was enthralled from day one, in 1985, when his first granddaughter arrived. He took great pride that all his children and grandchildren carried on his musical abilities and would be the first to brag about their latest achievements. His warmth and stories would be carried on through friends and family, even after his stroke in 2015, when he no longer could clearly speak. Burl never met a stranger, and could make a friend from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor on an elevator ride. The last great joy he got to experience was meeting and singing to his first great-grandchild in April 2020, even though it was through a video call during the Covid-19 Quarantine. That video would later be shared locally and nationally on NBC, to be cherished with the world. On May 3rd, 2020, at 4:21 pm, he was surrounded by his family, as they sang, reminisced, and lifted him up to Heaven.
He was preceded and greeted in Heaven by his parents, Ira and Helen, his sister and brother, Charlotte and Dwayne, his son, Gary, and several angel grand babies.
He will be missed by his bride of 63 years, Donna Lee (Rucker) Harris of Newburg, his children- Michael and Cindy (Kaneski) Harris of Newburg, Dan and Debbie (Harris) Bicket of St. Charles, and Jon and Darla (Harris) Wells of Rolla, his grandchildren- Chad and Amisha (Harris) McMahon, Carl and Michaela (Harris) Conrad, Tanner and Reghan (Harris) Martin, Braiden Wells, Micah Wells, Addyson Wells, and Lincoln Wells and his great-grandchildren- Thomas Conrad, Jayden McMahon (great-grandchild by marriage) and Ryleigh McMahon (great-grandchild by marriage). His presence and voice will be missed by countless friends and family, and his legacy will live on through the love he shared throughout his life.
A graveside ceremony will be conducted by Teague and Sons, at Ozark Hills Memorial Gardens in Rolla, MO on Wednesday, May 6th, 2020 at 2 pm. For friends and family that would like to attend, it is asked that you bring your own chair. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for any monetary donations to be sent to KidCare America c/o First Assembly of God, Rolla, Missouri. Please make checks out to First Assembly of God-Rolla with KidCare America in the memo.
Burl was a graduate of Newburg High School in 1955, and would later serve several years as a member of the Newburg School Board. He attended Newburg Church of God as a young man and then later, First Assembly of God, in Rolla. Burl was known for his tenor voice, that would lend itself to a few gospel groups over the years. Many people would be ministered to through the Singing Pilgrims and The Kinsmen, and later, Echoes of Grace, throughout the Midwest and South. It was a Wednesday night in 1953, all those years ago, that Donna Rucker would hear him sing and fall in love. From this relationship, a beautiful family line would bloom. Burl and Donna were married at the Church of God in Newburg, Missouri, on November 4th, 1956. From this union, Gary Lee (1958-1987), Michael Dale (1960-), Debra Sue (1964-), and Darla Deann (1975-) were born.
Burl served in the Army Reserves from 1956 -1962 as a welder and achieved E5 Sergeant status. Over the years, many knew him as a local barber in the Rolla and Newburg area, a farmer, an avid outdoorsmen and hunter, a board member for Gascosage Electric Coop but the proudest title he carried was “PaPa”. Through marriage, he gained two son-in-laws and a daughter-in-law, and seven grandchildren. He was enthralled from day one, in 1985, when his first granddaughter arrived. He took great pride that all his children and grandchildren carried on his musical abilities and would be the first to brag about their latest achievements. His warmth and stories would be carried on through friends and family, even after his stroke in 2015, when he no longer could clearly speak. Burl never met a stranger, and could make a friend from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor on an elevator ride. The last great joy he got to experience was meeting and singing to his first great-grandchild in April 2020, even though it was through a video call during the Covid-19 Quarantine. That video would later be shared locally and nationally on NBC, to be cherished with the world. On May 3rd, 2020, at 4:21 pm, he was surrounded by his family, as they sang, reminisced, and lifted him up to Heaven.
He was preceded and greeted in Heaven by his parents, Ira and Helen, his sister and brother, Charlotte and Dwayne, his son, Gary, and several angel grand babies.
He will be missed by his bride of 63 years, Donna Lee (Rucker) Harris of Newburg, his children- Michael and Cindy (Kaneski) Harris of Newburg, Dan and Debbie (Harris) Bicket of St. Charles, and Jon and Darla (Harris) Wells of Rolla, his grandchildren- Chad and Amisha (Harris) McMahon, Carl and Michaela (Harris) Conrad, Tanner and Reghan (Harris) Martin, Braiden Wells, Micah Wells, Addyson Wells, and Lincoln Wells and his great-grandchildren- Thomas Conrad, Jayden McMahon (great-grandchild by marriage) and Ryleigh McMahon (great-grandchild by marriage). His presence and voice will be missed by countless friends and family, and his legacy will live on through the love he shared throughout his life.
A graveside ceremony will be conducted by Teague and Sons, at Ozark Hills Memorial Gardens in Rolla, MO on Wednesday, May 6th, 2020 at 2 pm. For friends and family that would like to attend, it is asked that you bring your own chair. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for any monetary donations to be sent to KidCare America c/o First Assembly of God, Rolla, Missouri. Please make checks out to First Assembly of God-Rolla with KidCare America in the memo.
On June 28, 1937, Burl Lee Harris entered this world to his parents Ira Clifford and Helen Roberta (Crain) Harris in Arlington, Missouri.
Burl was a graduate of Newburg High School in 1955, and would later serve several years as a member of the Newburg School Board. He attended Newburg Church of God as a young man and then later, First Assembly of God, in Rolla. Burl was known for his tenor voice, that would lend itself to a few gospel groups over the years. Many people would be ministered to through the Singing Pilgrims and The Kinsmen, and later, Echoes of Grace, throughout the Midwest and South. It was a Wednesday night in 1953, all those years ago, that Donna Rucker would hear him sing and fall in love. From this relationship, a beautiful family line would bloom. Burl and Donna were married at the Church of God in Newburg, Missouri, on November 4th, 1956. From this union, Gary Lee (1958-1987), Michael Dale (1960-), Debra Sue (1964-), and Darla Deann (1975-) were born.
Burl served in the Army Reserves from 1956 -1962 as a welder and achieved E5 Sergeant status. Over the years, many knew him as a local barber in the Rolla and Newburg area, a farmer, an avid outdoorsmen and hunter, a board member for Gascosage Electric Coop but the proudest title he carried was “PaPa”. Through marriage, he gained two son-in-laws and a daughter-in-law, and seven grandchildren. He was enthralled from day one, in 1985, when his first granddaughter arrived. He took great pride that all his children and grandchildren carried on his musical abilities and would be the first to brag about their latest achievements. His warmth and stories would be carried on through friends and family, even after his stroke in 2015, when he no longer could clearly speak. Burl never met a stranger, and could make a friend from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor on an elevator ride. The last great joy he got to experience was meeting and singing to his first great-grandchild in April 2020, even though it was through a video call during the Covid-19 Quarantine. That video would later be shared locally and nationally on NBC, to be cherished with the world. On May 3rd, 2020, at 4:21 pm, he was surrounded by his family, as they sang, reminisced, and lifted him up to Heaven.
He was preceded and greeted in Heaven by his parents, Ira and Helen, his sister and brother, Charlotte and Dwayne, his son, Gary, and several angel grand babies.
He will be missed by his bride of 63 years, Donna Lee (Rucker) Harris of Newburg, his children- Michael and Cindy (Kaneski) Harris of Newburg, Dan and Debbie (Harris) Bicket of St. Charles, and Jon and Darla (Harris) Wells of Rolla, his grandchildren- Chad and Amisha (Harris) McMahon, Carl and Michaela (Harris) Conrad, Tanner and Reghan (Harris) Martin, Braiden Wells, Micah Wells, Addyson Wells, and Lincoln Wells and his great-grandchildren- Thomas Conrad, Jayden McMahon (great-grandchild by marriage) and Ryleigh McMahon (great-grandchild by marriage). His presence and voice will be missed by countless friends and family, and his legacy will live on through the love he shared throughout his life.
A graveside ceremony will be conducted by Teague and Sons, at Ozark Hills Memorial Gardens in Rolla, MO on Wednesday, May 6th, 2020 at 2 pm. For friends and family that would like to attend, it is asked that you bring your own chair. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for any monetary donations to be sent to KidCare America c/o First Assembly of God, Rolla, Missouri. Please make checks out to First Assembly of God-Rolla with KidCare America in the memo.
Burl was a graduate of Newburg High School in 1955, and would later serve several years as a member of the Newburg School Board. He attended Newburg Church of God as a young man and then later, First Assembly of God, in Rolla. Burl was known for his tenor voice, that would lend itself to a few gospel groups over the years. Many people would be ministered to through the Singing Pilgrims and The Kinsmen, and later, Echoes of Grace, throughout the Midwest and South. It was a Wednesday night in 1953, all those years ago, that Donna Rucker would hear him sing and fall in love. From this relationship, a beautiful family line would bloom. Burl and Donna were married at the Church of God in Newburg, Missouri, on November 4th, 1956. From this union, Gary Lee (1958-1987), Michael Dale (1960-), Debra Sue (1964-), and Darla Deann (1975-) were born.
Burl served in the Army Reserves from 1956 -1962 as a welder and achieved E5 Sergeant status. Over the years, many knew him as a local barber in the Rolla and Newburg area, a farmer, an avid outdoorsmen and hunter, a board member for Gascosage Electric Coop but the proudest title he carried was “PaPa”. Through marriage, he gained two son-in-laws and a daughter-in-law, and seven grandchildren. He was enthralled from day one, in 1985, when his first granddaughter arrived. He took great pride that all his children and grandchildren carried on his musical abilities and would be the first to brag about their latest achievements. His warmth and stories would be carried on through friends and family, even after his stroke in 2015, when he no longer could clearly speak. Burl never met a stranger, and could make a friend from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor on an elevator ride. The last great joy he got to experience was meeting and singing to his first great-grandchild in April 2020, even though it was through a video call during the Covid-19 Quarantine. That video would later be shared locally and nationally on NBC, to be cherished with the world. On May 3rd, 2020, at 4:21 pm, he was surrounded by his family, as they sang, reminisced, and lifted him up to Heaven.
He was preceded and greeted in Heaven by his parents, Ira and Helen, his sister and brother, Charlotte and Dwayne, his son, Gary, and several angel grand babies.
He will be missed by his bride of 63 years, Donna Lee (Rucker) Harris of Newburg, his children- Michael and Cindy (Kaneski) Harris of Newburg, Dan and Debbie (Harris) Bicket of St. Charles, and Jon and Darla (Harris) Wells of Rolla, his grandchildren- Chad and Amisha (Harris) McMahon, Carl and Michaela (Harris) Conrad, Tanner and Reghan (Harris) Martin, Braiden Wells, Micah Wells, Addyson Wells, and Lincoln Wells and his great-grandchildren- Thomas Conrad, Jayden McMahon (great-grandchild by marriage) and Ryleigh McMahon (great-grandchild by marriage). His presence and voice will be missed by countless friends and family, and his legacy will live on through the love he shared throughout his life.
A graveside ceremony will be conducted by Teague and Sons, at Ozark Hills Memorial Gardens in Rolla, MO on Wednesday, May 6th, 2020 at 2 pm. For friends and family that would like to attend, it is asked that you bring your own chair. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for any monetary donations to be sent to KidCare America c/o First Assembly of God, Rolla, Missouri. Please make checks out to First Assembly of God-Rolla with KidCare America in the memo.
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