Obituary of James Curtis Harris Jr.

Obituary

James Curtis Harris, Jr., (“JC” or “Jim”, as he was known to many) was born on November 21, 1930, in Austin, Texas, to Maggie Mae Harris and James Harris, Sr.

He was called home on March 19, 2023, following a long and inspiring life in which he devoted his time and energy to his family, his faith, the communities in which he lived, and creating business opportunities for himself that society had not provided him. He leaves behind a loving wife, sons, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless others who have been touched by his warmth, humor, love, and his beautiful singing.

At the age of 10, JC accepted Christ as his personal Lord and Savior and was baptized at Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church, Austin, TX, where his family were members.

In 1943, James and Maggie moved from Texas to Menlo Park, California - part of the Great Migration of Black Americans from the South to northern, midwestern and western states. JC and his brother, George, and sister, Evelyn, initially stayed in Austin with their aunt and uncle, Sally and JD Houston. In January 1945, they joined their parents in Menlo Park, before the family settled in Redwood City.  For a time, the Harris household also included Surlene Jackson, who had also come from Austin, and who would live with them until she married George Grant. JC graduated from Sequoia High School in 1948.

In March 1950, JC married his first wife, Helen Faye Roberson, of Palo Alto, who herself had moved from Texas to the Bay Area with her mother, Johnnie Mae, and sister, Bobbie Jean. To this union was born their two sons: Douglas Erwin Harris and James Edward Harris, III. JC was a caring and devoted father who instilled in his sons the love of God and music; the importance of family, community and the fight for social and racial justice; an appreciation of nature and wildlife; and the importance of a college education.

In 1953, the Harrises, along with other Black residents of Redwood City, decided to establish a single Black Baptist house of worship by combining two struggling smaller congregations. Like the Harrises, many of these residents had migrated from Austin, Texas, and they named their new church Mt. Zion Baptist Church, after the Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church which they had previously attended in Austin. JC became a Deacon of the church in 1955, a Sunday school teacher, and also its Minister of Music, directing the Senior Choir, the Echoes of Zion (the young adult choir), the Junior Choir and the Men’s Chorus. JC’s faith in God and commitment to helping those in need extended beyond the four walls of the church. He devoted time to teaching incarcerated men at the San Mateo County Jail in Redwood City, and in leading the convalescent ministry. JC had an incredible tenor voice and no one who has ever heard it will forget his singing “No Man is an Island.” Even in his later years, his voice was majestic and inspiring.

Family and church were the centers of JC’s life, and there were few things that brought him as much joy as the birth of his first grandchild, Derrick Douglas Harris.  Two more grandchildren would follow.

In 1953, JC joined what was then a small company called Hewlett-Packard where he held various positions, including precision gear-maker in the machine shop. Over time, JC realized that his opportunities at HP were limited and limiting, in large part due to his lack of a college education or formal financial or management training; but he knew that he had untapped skills and knowledge and a desire to build and manage his own business. He left HP in 1968 and joined Otto Watkins as a partner in his construction business. Their business relationship would last for about a year, before JC decided to strike out on his own.

JC would subsequently receive his engineering license and, over time, his business grew and evolved from construction (single and multi-family homes) to global finance and intermediation of international oil and gas transactions. He established an investment company and, as his international business flourished, he traveled the globe - from Europe to Asia, Central America and Africa. Over the years, JC lived in the Bahamas, Panama, New York, Paris and London, with brief residencies in Italy and Singapore. His many clients included some of the largest global financial institutions as well as the Royal Family of Brunei.

In 1992, JC met Arnette White in London while attending a meeting at her workplace and they formed an immediate bond of friendship. Though they didn’t see each other again for two years, they stayed in touch. James finally returned to London where he resided for 10 years. During this time, he proposed marriage to Arnette, she accepted, and in 2004 they moved to California where they were joined together in holy matrimony later that year.

In 2013, they relocated to Austin, TX, and became members of Rehoboth Baptist Church, which his sister Lucille Simpon attended and where he was soon appointed Deacon. He also served as Sunday school teacher, head of Christian Education, and was an active participant in the convalescent ministry. He was also instrumental in the vision to relocate Rehoboth Baptist Church to a new church home.

After all his world travels, he returned to where he began – he had come full circle. For all the words written in this tribute, when asked what he wanted people to know about him, JC summed it up succinctly with these words “I just want people to know that I did my best and tried to treat other people right”, and his advice to anyone was to “always put God first.”

JC was preceded in death by his parents, James and Maggie; his brother, George; and sisters, Lucille Simpson and Evelyn Hopkins. He leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife Arnette, his sons: Doug (Bill Van Parys), New York, New York, and James (Teresa), Gilroy, California; grandsons: Derrick Douglas Harris (Marsi), San Diego, California and Jameson Edward Harris, Menlo Park, California; granddaughter: Morgan Lindsay Harris, Menlo Park, California; great-granddaughters: Nelah Rose Harris and Isabella Lucia Harris, San Diego, California; a host of nieces and nephews, extended family, and those who adopted him as their father, grandpa, godfather, or mentor.

A visitation will be held from 10:00-11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 9300 Decker Ln, Austin, TX 78724; with services beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Services will be live streamed to allow those unable to attend to participate.  Please visit: https://www.facebook.com/rehobothchurchaustin?mibexid-ZbWKwL