Thomas (Tom) Earle Harris passed away peacefully November 27, 2024, while in care of hospice and his family. Tom was born May 27,1946 to Edna Clifton and Charlie Thomas Harris, and older brother Charles Clifton Harris of Washington, NC. Tommy grew up on the Pamlico River, graduated Washington High School, class of 1964, and went on to graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1968.

He returned to Beaufort County for his first job with The Washington Daily News, at his side the hometown girl he married in 1969, Rosemary Rhodes Harris. Tom and Rosemary had many adventures (including 2 children), following his career from Washington to Martinsville, VA, where he was Sports Editor at The Martinsville Bulletin. The family would move to Raleigh, NC in 1976, where he covered Duke, UNC, and other ACC teams for The Raleigh News and Observer.

A talented reporter and editor, Tom attended multiple NCAA men’s basketball championship tournaments from press row, a dream come true. With his family, he enjoyed road trips to many sports events and bore with wry humor the many historic educational outings planned by his wife–even when it involved marching around Okracoke, NC for hours in the blazing sun. He and Rosemary spent time together in their favorite city, New Orleans, LA, and enjoyed beignets and chicory coffee on special occasions ever after.

Tom won awards for his sportswriting, wrote The Tar Heel Handbook (Wichita Eagle and Beacon Publishing Co. Inc., 1 Jan.1996, ISBN 1880652811.), and briefly owned and ran a UNC-focused sports newspaper. He would return to a local paper, The Garner Times, serving as writer and editor until it folded. He then retired.

Tom enjoyed sports–he was an avid football and basketball fan (and expert), coached soccer, and was very enthusiastic when cheering on his children or his favorite teams. He enjoyed going fishing, spending time at the beach (particularly with William (Bill) and Susan Alligood Stuart of Cape Carteret, NC) or on the Pamlico River with extended family from both sides. He was an avid reader of history and fiction books, with a particular love of J.R.R.Tolkien.

More of a homebody in his later years, Tom enjoyed time spent with his family–his wife of 55 years, Rosemary; daughter Mary Caroline Harris and her partner Matthew Paul Lewis of Holly Springs, NC; and son Charles Rhodes Harris, his wife Paige Herring Harris, and their daughter, Mary Adeline Harris of Garner, NC. Watching his son become a father and being the beloved Granda of his granddaughter was his last–but by far his favorite–grand adventure.

Per Tom’s wishes, there will be no public funeral service, and in lieu of flowers, donations to his favorite wildlife conservatories are welcome:

North Carolina Wildlife Federation at NCWF.org

NC Estuarium in Washington, NC at partnershipforthesounds.net

The family will receive friends and family Thursday, December 5, 2024 from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm in the Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 1200 Benson Road, Garner, NC 27529.