Jack Harris, 66, sports editor of Parsons Sun for about 40 and a half years, died at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, 2005, at his home. He was born June 13, 1939, in Iola to Frank H. and Helen M. (Skaggs) Harris, and with the exception of one year - 1944, when he lived in Los Angeles - he lived in Moran. He graduated from Moran Grade School and moved to Parsons in 1953, where he has resided since that time. He graduated from Parsons High School in 1957 and attended Parsons Junior College for two years. He studied radio/journalism at the college and worked for radio station KLKC during and after his college years. He also worked briefly for a Fort Scott radio station. He became sports editor for the Parsons Sun in August 1963 and retired on March 31, 2004, at which time he was named sports editor emeritus. As sports editor he received dozens of awards from the Kansas Press Association and Harris Enterprises for excellence in both story and column writing and best sports pages. He had been cited for his sportsmanship and integrity by both the Kansas State High School Activities Association and National Federation of State High School Associations. He kept and compiled voluminous records in a variety of sports, both scholastic and those for adults. He also compiled records for area high school leagues. He also proposed the first summer tennis leagues here, helped organize them and took part as a player. He worked to make sure city tournaments were staged each year. He instituted city championship golf matches that pitted champions of the Katy against the Parsons Country Club in 1966. Until then no city champion had been determined since 1957 when a medal-play event was staged. Women's city championship matches, under the same format, began in 1974 and have continued until 1996 when both men and women switched to a stroke-play format. He played golf for more than 50 years and played at least one course in each of the 48 contiguous states. He played in many United States Golf Association qualifiers and Kansas Amateurs as well as local and area tournaments. He played nine holes with Chanute's Jean Ashley when she was the reigning U.S. Women's Amateur champion. He was a member of Katy Golf Club's board of directors for more than 10 years. He was a inspiration to his friends and family. He loved to play with his grandchildren and faithfully attended all their various activities. He married Mayetta Jean (Engquist) Edson on March 7, 1981, in Altamont. He and his wife joined St. Patrick's Catholic Church here on April 10, 2004. He was a lector, an occasional member of adult choir and a third-degree member of Knights of Columbus. In June, he received the local council's annual Shining Armour Award, presented to first-year Knights. Survivors include his wife, Mayetta Harris of the home; a brother, Jim Harris of Parsons; a stepdaughter, Vicki Anspach of Webb City, Mo.; a stepson, Brian Edson of St. Louis; and three stepgranddaughters, Amanda Anspach, Andrea Anspach and Adrianna Anspach, all of Webb City. The funeral Mass will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church with the Revs. Ed Deimeke, Jason Borkenhagen and Robert Wachter officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home with the rosary to be recited at 8 p.m. Memorials to St. Patrick's Catholic Church renovation fund may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, Box 942, Parsons.

Obituary, Parsons Sun, August 23, 2005.