Norman Harris

Norman Ellsworth Harris, age 94, of York, NE, formerly of Shelton, NE, passed away Friday, July 30, 2010 in Lincoln, NE. He was born April 26th, 1916 in Wheatland, WY to James A. and Eunice O. (York) Harris. Norman’s family moved to Kearney, NE in 1919. He attended Kearney Public School and graduated in the 50th anniversary class from Kearney High School in 1934. Norman lettered in football at Kearney State College for four years. Later, he was a 13 year member of the Kearney State College Foundation, serving as both Vice President and President.

He started farming with his father in 1933 near Shelton and continued until his retirement in 1982. Along with field corn, Norman raised potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots for Campbell’s Soup company early in his farming career. He also raised seed corn for Cornhusker Hybrids and DeKalb. Livestock on the farm included hogs and purebred Black Angus cattle, having a hundred cow herd at one time. He also fed cattle for a number of years and was a member of the original Buffalo County Feeders Association, the Nebraska Livestock Feeders Association, and the National Cattlemen’s Association, as well as being a local Aksarben representative for several years.

Norman was baptized in the Kearney Christian Church and later joined the Shelton United Methodist Church, where he served on the church board and played a part in the building of the new church and parsonage. He was a member of the Shelton Public School board during redistricting and was active in the building of the new school and swimming pool. His civic involvement also included membership in the Shelton Lions Club and the Mid-State Board.

Norman married Janice W. Wimberley on July 27, 1946 at the home of her brother, Clem, in Minden, NE. After living in Shelton for a year and a half as a married couple, they moved to a farm northwest of Shelton where they lived for 23 years. At that time they built a house on the Harris farmstead where they lived until 2000, when they moved to York, NE.

Left to cherish Norman’s memory and his spirit are his wife Janice of York, NE; daughter Kristi and husband Fred Scheele of Waco, NE; and son J. Scott and his wife Jolyn (Jensen) of Kearney, MO. His grandchildren are Karla Scheele, Kevin Scheele and wife Katie (Bacon), Kyle Scheele, Jennifer Harris Turpin, and Wendy Harris Jackson and husband Jeff. Great-grandsons are Benjamin and Alexander Turpin. Preceding him in death were his parents and siblings.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 3, 2010 at First Methodist Church in York. Graveside services were held in Kearney, NE later that day at 3:00 p.m., with light refreshments following at First Methodist Church of Kearney after the burial. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the University of Nebraska at Kearney Foundation or donor’s choice.