A pioneering African-American athlete, and a friend and doctor to some of the city's movers and shakers, longtime Queen Anne resident Homer Harris passed away in his home on March 17.
He was 91 and had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Mr. Harris was a standout football player who captained the Garfield High School team in 1933 and wanted to play football at the University of Washington after he graduated.
It wasn't to be; the Huskies did not allow black players on the team then. However, Iowa State University did, and he went on to become the first African American to captain the Top 10 team. Mr. Harris was also inducted into the Iowa sports hall of fame five years ago in recognition of his contributions to the Hawkeyes.
His goal of playing professional football after college was thwarted because of existing color barriers. So Mr. Harris decided on a different tack and went to Meharry Medical College in Tennessee, where he specialized in dermatology.
He completed his residency at the University of Illinois Medical School and returned to Seattle, where Mr. Harris opened an office and worked as a dermatologist for 43 years before retiring in 2000.
The city honored Mr. Harris as a "Pioneer Black Doctor," and one of his patients was friend and King County Executive Ron Sims, who said Mr. Harris strove for excellence in everything he did.
Sims made that comment in 2005 at a ceremony dedicating the Homer Harris Park in the 2400 block of East Howell Street. The park was paid for, in part, by a $1.3 million donation made by a Harris friend and admirer who preferred to remain anonymous.
Mr. Harris declined to speak at the ceremony, but others were more than willing to shower accolades on the man. That included family friend Dr. Millie Russell, who praised Mr. Harris' competence as both a scholar and a doctor who showed great compassion for his patients. "He was a friend who opened doors for associates," added Russell, who described Mr. Harris as both a role model and "a hunk."
Lifelong friend Stimson Bullitt also spoke at the ceremony, stating the park would perpetuate the memory of an admired citizen. "Over the past 65 years, Homer and I have had plenty of good times in parks," Bullitt said. "Now we are at the stage where we appreciate a park that has a bench."
Dorothy Harris, Homer's wife of 56 years, died a short time before the dedication ceremony, and he is survived by his daughter, Heather Harris Felzenberg, and a grandson. There will be no funeral at his request.[[In-content Ad]]
