Wayne Jay Harris

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother, Wayne Jay Harris, passed away peacefully at home on March 4, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Born on April 29, 1939, in Ogden Utah, to Lawrence James Harris and Irene Buckley Harris. He was the fifth of six children.

Wayne grew up on a farm in Pleasant View, Utah. He learned to work hard and help others. As his sister described him, he was small in stature but big in personality. He liked to keep the peace between people, but also was a jokester. His most famous comment, starting back on the farm, was the last thing he said in this life, “love you more.”

From childhood, he was a hard worker. He saved up and purchased his first car when he was 12 years old. Even at a young age, he was a protector of his sisters, and neighborhood kids. 

After high school, he and his good friend Gary Walker went off and joined the Navy - which his parents didn’t find out about until after the fact. 

This ended up setting the direction the rest of his life would take. While serving in Norfolk Virginia, he met his future wife, Sarah Ellen Hill (Sue). During free time, he would go over to her house to play with her two sons - Roy and David. He enjoyed spending time with them, and often watched them while she went out on dates. 

Finally, he asked her to go see a movie and she quickly discovered how fun he was, particularly his sense of humor which she really appreciated.

They got married on March 3, 1961. Both boys took to him quickly, and he soon after adopted them. Wayne loved having a family. He and Sue went on to have three more children: Mark, Robert, and Kimberly. He made sure all his children knew he loved them. And when they married, he made sure their spouses knew he loved them too. Wayne supported every family event he could, attending birthdays, farewells, baptisms, choir performances, plays, and sporting events, as well as spending holidays with family. He may have been shorter than all his children, but they all looked up to him.

Throughout his life, he loved serving others. He loved hard work, and he loved the Gospel. He spent a lot of time studying the scriptures and reading books written by General Authorities. He served in numerous church callings, including two bishoprics.  

Wayne was very well liked by all he met. Many people dropped by just to talk with him. He loved to help people, and quite often left the house when he saw neighbors arrive home to help them bring in their groceries or just visit.

One of his passions was gardening and taught his children how to garden, giving them each a plot of ground, some seeds to plant, and instructions. Another thing he loved was playing the piano. He couldn’t read music, but he could hear a song and work it out on the piano. He was particularly famous for his rag-time version of “The Hokey Pokey.”

After 39 years of marriage, Sue died, leaving him alone while still performing the duties of a Bishop. One thing he didn’t like was being on his own. And soon after Sue’s death, he married a good friend of the family whose husband had passed away years earlier. Shirley Hartvigsen Crosby. They married on January 16, 2001, and just like that two families came together.

Wayne and Shirley were married for 24 years at the time of his passing.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley, two sisters: Edith (Ron) Finch, and Lola (Vern) Child. Five children, Roy (Janice) Harris, David (Jan) Harris, Mark (Shaundale) Harris, Robert (Arlene) Harris, Kimberly (Matt) Fisher, and five step-children. Between the two families, he leaves behind 15 children (including spouses), 55 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. He will be missed by every one of them.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Sarah Ellen Hill (Sue), his parents, two of his older sisters, Erma (Robert) Crompton, Laura (Wayne) Wilde, and his older brother Earl (Betty) Harris. We’re sure a joyous reunion took place. 

Services for Wayne will be held on Monday, March 10, 2025, at 11:00 AM with a viewing 1 hour prior and on Sunday, March 09, 2025, from 6-8 PM at Holbrook Mortuary 3251 South 2300 East, Millcreek, Utah.