William Dennis Harris

William Dennis Harris, age 75, of Ucon, passed away in The Gardens of Rigby, Saturday, January 17, 2015. He died peacefully in his sleep after suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Dennis was born March 18, 1939 in Idaho Falls, Idaho to William M. and Juliana Petersen Harris. He graduated from Rigby High School and then served a mission for the LDS church in the Southern States Mission. He married his high school sweet heart, Sharon, in the Idaho Falls temple and volunteered for the Army Reserve as a medic. After attending Ricks College and Idaho State University he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. He was the first in his family to receive a college education. He loved teaching fifth and sixth grades in Leadore, Idaho where he also served as the bishop of the Leadore Ward. He and Sharon worked hard, were extremely frugal and managed to make a down payment on a small ranch near Leadore. It was always Dennis’ dream to have horses and own a ranch. After just 7 years of teaching, Dennis suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling from his horse. This left him unable to fully communicate. In spite of these challenges, he dedicated his life to serving others. He strived to support his family, teach his children, and serve others. He continued to ride, train and love horses. His favorite saying was, “If the horse bucks you off, get right back on.” He lived this quote every day of his life by inspiring his children to obtain university degrees, by being a faithful home teacher and by lovingly teaching his grandchildren to ride horses. He also wrote the thoughts that he could not verbally express in his journal, quoted poetry as he fed the cows, and taught his children to pray daily. Dennis loved to quote these lines from The Charge of the Light Brigade, “Half a league, half a league, half a league onward, All in the valley of Death, Rode the six hundred.” We know you have passed through your own valley of death and are now at peace. Survivors include his wife Sharon Harris of Ucon, daughters Alison (Mark) Mueller of Jackson, Wyoming; Ramona (Jeff) Daun of Heber City, Utah; Denise (Dan) Stratton of Highland, Utah; Camille (Brady) Orchard of Ucon; and Holly (Aaron) Galbraith of Jackson, Wyoming; a son Jonathan William (Katie) Harris of Blackfoot, Idaho; sisters Rosalie (Bob) Donnelly of Lewisville and Cheryl David of Idaho Falls; 22 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; William M. Harris and Juliana Petersen Harris. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday January 31, 2015 at the Monument Ward LDS Church 10854 North 41 East, Ucon, with Bishop Rodney South conducting. The family will visit with friends Friday, January 30, 2015 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Eckersell Funeral Home, 101 West Main Street, Rigby, and on Saturday from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Lewisville Cemetery.