The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1257677
The Press-Dispatch Local Wednesday, June 10, 2020 A- 5 A History of Caring Since 1870 Gretchen harris, 5th Generation • nick harris henson, 6th Generation Stiffy Harris, 1920 and later in life Widely sought after by antique auto collectors nationwide, the 1959 Cadillac Eureka Hearse that Stiffy bought brand new at a funeral director's convention is now almost regarded as a family member, hence her nickname of "Aunt Maude." Although unknown by his given name of Owen, many people today that were alive during his lifetime still recall fond memo- ries of the seemingly larger-than-life man affectionately known as Stiffy Harris. If all tales be known, it would take volumes to record the storied experiences of his life, but it was through the life and service of Stiffy Harris that O.D. Harris & Sons truly es- tablished the identity of the Harris family and made the funeral home what it is today. In 1915, local newspapers reported how the then 17-year-old was badly scalded by steam used in bottle sterilization while working at a local dairy, nearly losing the sight of his le eye. Following the accident, Orace decided it was time to bring his son into the family trade to begin his apprenticeship, just as Orace had done years ago alongside his father. In 1920, Stiffy completed his schooling at the Askin College of Embalming in Indianapolis, and was reported to be "a full-fledged and legal- ly-qualified undertaker and embalmer." While the year of 1922 would mark the foundation of O.D. Harris & Sons in the present location, it also stood to be the year beginning a storied career of this man's service. Like his father before him, young Stiffy Harris sought to fulfill a civic duty to the community, one which extended above and beyond the funeral trade. In 1922, the 23-year-old sought and won nomination on the Democratic ticket for Coroner, report- edly the youngest on the local ballot for any office. He would go on to win the general election, and so began his life of civil ser- vice that spanned 7 terms in the office. Although the demands of the office, in addition to the demands and countless hours of the funeral home, would presumably reduce the disposition of a man to something far less than favorable, the exact opposite is true. Memories shared by folks that remembered and knew Stiffy all share similar descriptive words: kind, generous, outgo- ing and personable. e old adage "a friend in need is a friend indeed" would certainly have applied, as so many stories involve his willingness and desire to help folks he knew had fallen on hard times. It was this sentiment, this love and concern of his community, that he would also pass on to his son and successor, a young man named Robert D. Harris. Spending 47 years in funeral service and 28 years as Coroner ultimately took its toll on Stiffy, and he died in 1962 at the age of 64. His younger brother, Lee, would assume leadership of the family trade for the next several years, but with no children of his own, this 3rd generation of Harris undertakers would even- tually fulfill a tradition of fathers and sons in this family business. Stiffy Harris with their first motorized funeral coach in 1917 Stiffy enjoyed his pursuits in hunting with his trusty dog.