Rev. Edward William 'Bill' Harris

Rev. Edward William (Bill) Harris, 89, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015 following a brief illness. He was surrounded by love and family at the time of his passing.

Born in Montclair, Mr. Harris was raised in Verona before attending Gordon College in Massachusetts and Moody Bible Institute in Illinois, where he earned his theology degree. He moved to Kasilof, Alaska, where he felt a calling for missionary work and later became an ordained Baptist minister. He opened and operated an orphanage for all children, primarily serving Alaska Native children. He returned to New Jersey after 15 years in Alaska, working as an interim pastor and eventually opened his own home cleaning service.

Mr. Harris briefly lived in Ramsey, Waldwick and Brick Township before settling into Wantage to raise a family for the next 30 years. In 2000, he moved to Rockaway Township, N.J., to be closer to family. He enjoyed being self-employed and worked hard to grow his home cleaning service, eventually retiring after 40 successful years of business. Mr. Harris also enjoyed regularly attending services and activities of the First Baptist Church of Sussex where he was a deacon, a trustee, a guest pastor and a rousing voice in the church choir. In fact, Mr. Harris was recognized by the church for his 30-plus years of service as its custodian when he retired from service in May of this year. Outside of his work and dedication to the church, he enjoyed being witty and managing financial portfolios.

Mr. Harris is predeceased by his father, William Jarvis Harris and step-mother, Mariel Muir Harris, both in 1977; his mother, Hannah Ethel Newton Harris; his brother, Robert Harris in 2014; and daughter, Anuska. He is survived by his daughters, Esther Gartner and her husband Frank of Milwaukie, Ore., Yvonne King and her husband, Peter, of Rockaway, Tanya Bassani and her husband, Donald, of Wantage, Elizabeth (Betty) Miller of Alaska, and Kathleen Phisher of Alaska; his sons, Walter Harris of South Carolina and Richard Harris of Alaska; seven grandchildren, Timothy, Alyssa, Gregory, Elizabeth, Donald, Rebekah and Brandon; and brother, James Harris of New York.

Friends visited with the family at the Pinkel Funeral Home, 31 Bank Street (Route 23), Sussex, New Jersey, on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015, from 4-8 p.m.. Funeral services were held at 9:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Sussex, 4 East Main Street, Sussex, New Jersey, 07461 on Friday, Aug. 21, 2015. Mr. Harris was laid to rest at the Mount Prospect Cemetery in Neptune during a private family ceremony. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations in Bill’s honor be sent to the First Baptist Church of Sussex.