The Virginia Wesleyan College family is mourning the loss of Dr. James
F. “Jim” Harris, VWC Professor Emeritus of Chemistry. Dr. Harris passed
away Tuesday afternoon after battling cancer.
Jim
received a liberal arts education from Western Carolina University. He
also received an MTS from The College of William and Mary and a Ph.D.
from Virginia Tech. He served on VWC’s natural sciences faculty for 14
years prior to his retirement in May of 2000. Jim made a difference in
the lives of many VWC science students through his teaching of Organic
Chemistry I & II as well as Methods of Biochemistry.
Jim’s
wife, Dr. Betty Jefferson Harris, who died in 2004, was also a professor
at Virginia Wesleyan. At the time of her retirement, Betty was
Professor of Biology and Chemistry and Chair of the Division of Natural
Sciences and Mathematics. Virginia Wesleyan College honored Betty in
2003 by naming a newly renovated laboratory in Blocker Hall the “Betty
Jefferson Harris, Ph.D., Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory.”
Jim
and Betty were members of Virginia Beach United Methodist Church. VWC
alumnus Rev. Ralph Rowley ’78 visited and prayed with Jim prior to his
passing. Rev. Rowley is working with the family to make arrangements.
Please keep the Harris family in your thoughts and prayers.
