Beverly Howard Harris (Bolivar)'s Obituary
Bev Harris, age 90, of Bolivar, Missouri, passed away on Tuesday, August 29, 2017, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. Born in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, he was the son of Howard and Mattie (Beggs) Harris.
His family moved to Bolivar in 1943 for the purpose of sending Bev and his sisters to Southwest Baptist College (SWBC). After graduating from Bolivar High School in 1945, he enrolled at SWBC. His freshman year was interrupted when he was drafted into the Army, where he served stateside as Regimental Control Sergeant in the Transportation Corps. After serving one year in the Army, he returned to SWBC and graduated in 1947. He went on to earn mathematics degrees from Southwest Missouri State University and University of Missouri at Columbia. Later, he completed his doctorate in Mathematics Education at MU and post-doctorate studies at the University of Wisconsin.
Bev was a mathematics professor for 40 years, and for 37 of those years, he taught mathematics at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar. While at SBU, he was the chairman of the Mathematics Department and had a passion for preparing students to become math educators. He retired from SBU in 1989.
Over the years, he had many interests. He served as the official scorekeeper for the men’s varsity SBU basketball team for 35 years. Tennis was also his passion. He enjoyed playing tennis and was ranked in the Missouri Valley Tennis Association. He was an active member of the Bolivar Tennis Association and enjoyed cheering for the SBU tennis teams. In his retirement years, he also became interested in researching his family’s genealogy.
Bev was also involved in the church and community. He was instrumental in starting the State Training Center for Severely Handicapped Children in 1964 and the Bolivar Sheltered Workshop in 1978. After retiring from teaching, he became involved with the Polk County Christian Social Ministries and was the director of the “Share Your Christmas” program for many years.
Bev married Zorene (Zodee) Pruitt Harris on May 21, 1950, and she preceded him in death on May 1, 2008. He is survived by his children, Susan Spurgeon and her husband Tim of Columbia, Missouri; Steven Harris of Columbia, Missouri; Joy Crow and her husband Jerry of Independence, Missouri; and two grandchildren, Becca Crow and Matt Crow. Bev was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Mary Jo Harris and Lois Matheny, twin-sister Beula Neuhart, and infant daughter, Rebecca Ann Harris.
Services will be 2:00 PM Saturday, September 2, 2017 at First Baptist Church, Bolivar, Missouri, with the Rev. Billy Russell officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services from 1:00 to 2:00 PM at the Church. Burial will follow services in the Greenwood Cemetery, Bolivar, Missouri. Memorial contributions can be made to the Dr. Bev Harris Mathematics Education Scholarship Fund at SBU or the Billy Graham Association.
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