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Active Orangeville Legion member and Canadian Armed Forces veteran passes away at 77

August 1, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

A retired officer from the Canadian Armed Forces who served on the Orangeville Legion Branch 233 executive recently passed away.

John Stephen Harris, a devoted father, grandfather, and friend to many, lived a life of service, with unwavering love and a generous spirit. He died at the age of 77 on July 18.

Harris served as the Orangeville Legion’s Public Relations Officer, since 2019, bringing much-needed updates to the organization’s website to boost activity, sharing press releases, and working hard to keep the community informed.

Barry Kimber, immediate past president of the Orangeville Legion, said he first met Harris when he joined the Legion and marched with him in the Colour Party.

“We became friends over the years,” Kimber recalled. “Whenever you asked John to do something, if he was able to do it, physically, he would do it.”

Kimber said Harris’s strong work ethic and special ability to get things done will be missed at the Orangeville Legion.

“John was the staple around here, taking care of pictures and looking after communication with the media and things like that,” Kimber said.

“He was very well spoken. You could tell that he was he had a good education behind him, and he just loved the English language. He loved to read… he loved to tell stories about the Air Force.”

Harris served his country with honour as a Captain for the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve, working in the Cadet Instructor Corps. He commanded the 246 Air Cadets Squadron before moving on to the role of Public Affairs Officer for the Central Region.

During his tenure with the cadets, he exemplified leadership and commitment, leaving a lasting impact on countless young people.

Orangeville Legion President Chuck Simpson said Harris was once invited as a guest speaker in Grand Valley for the cadet corps and he was blown away by his public speaking ability.

“He was a well-spoken, well-respected man in the community,” said Kimber.

“And he was a professional – he was an absolute professional,” added Simpson.

Both Kimber and Simpson said with Harris’s passing, there’s now a void to be filled at the Orangeville Legion for public relations and communications.

“We haven’t filled that void yet,” Simpson said. “But we are looking for somebody that’s willing to take it on. Hopefully, that will happen as we get more members, and a lot of the members are retirees.”

In addition to dedicating much of his life to the Canadian Armed Forces, Harris had a successful career in broadcasting.

“He took pride in his work, he was a professional, and he’s going to be sorely missed,” Simpson said.

Harris was born on Sept. 11, 1946, in Montreal, Que., and was a beloved father to his three sons and a beloved grandfather to seven grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Aug. 18 at the Orangeville Legion, with visitation beginning at 4 p.m. and a Legion Service along with Words of Remembrance at 5 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, Harris’s family kindly requests donations be made to the Orangeville Legion in his honour.

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