Charles Noel Douglas Harrison, Sr., 91, native of Winnsboro, Texas, and descendent of a founding family of Winnsboro through a land grant from Sam Houston, died Saturday, October 13, 2007, in Ft. Worth, Texas, at Universal Health Care Hospice. "Doug," as he was known to his friends and fellow workers at General Dynamics in Ft. Worth, Texas, will be buried near "the old home place" in Winnsboro at the Connally Family Cemetery State Historical Site off Highway 37. Viewing will be Friday, October 19, 6-8 p.m. at Beaty Funeral Home, 816 West Broadway, Winnsboro, Texas, and the funeral held there the following day, Saturday, October 20 at 1 p.m.
Son of Winnsboro Baptist minister William Henry ("Brother Billy") Harrison and Mary Frances Connally Harrison, Doug was a debate champion at Winnsboro High School. He graduated from Lon Morris College, Jacksonville, Texas, where he met his lifelong sweetheart and wife, Josephine Rose Hamilton Harrison who preceded him in death on December 23, 2005. While at college, Doug especially enjoyed literature and drama and during his life wrote an unpublished novel, newspaper articles, many editorial letters, and poetry. A man of many talents, he first taught in a one-room Winnsboro schoolhouse, then later worked as a tool and die machinist for General Dynamics in Ft. Worth where, self-taught, he built a 14 room Cape Cod style home for his family and later an A-frame house for his son. Upon early retirement, Doug returned to his Winnsboro roots and built an expanded A-frame home deep in the wooded 25 acres that he and Josephine made into an official wild life refuge on the outskirts of town. There Doug also purchased native wildflower seed and created a protected planting that beautified the highway bordering his land. He grew a variety of fruits in an orchard he began from bare root plants as his forefathers had. True to his sense of humor, he produced a single "fruit cocktail" tree with apples, pears, plumbs, peaches, and nectarines for his grandchildren through his expertise in grafting. His bee-keeping guaranteed a good crop and delicious honey. With Josephine "dowsing" for sweet water and discovering an aquifer, the two were able to weather the droughts and keep their vegetable gardens green. Over the years, Doug and Josephine created a nature wonder by feeding wild birds, squirrels, flying squirrels, possums, raccoons, and even attracting a cacomistle-a raccoon-like animal from Mexico. Beautiful moths and butterflies fascinated them, but a female albino cardinal who stayed for 8 years was a highlight they called their "golden cardinal." As avid birdwatchers and loving parents and grandparents, they inspired their family to become nature lovers and to pursue their own dreams with honesty and integrity. Even today, a Harrison son remains with his family on Winnsboro land so precious to the Harrison family for generations.
Loving survivors include eldest daughter Kennette Elaine Harrison of San Diego, California; son Charles Noel Douglas Harrison, Jr., of Winnsboro, Texas; youngest daughter Stephanie Jonelle Harrison Amon and her husband David F. Amon of Fort Worth Texas; thirteen grandchildren and spouses of those married; eighteen great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson. Additionally, many beloved nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews survive Doug Harrison.
Appreciated in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Universal Health Care Hospice, 1208 Country Club Lane, Ft. Worth, Texas 76112.

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