Leo Charles Harris

February 13, 1937 - February 25, 2022

Leo Charles Harris formerly of Monroeton, passed away February 25th, 2022 at the Grandview Nursing Home in Danville, Pa. He was the son of the late Geoffrey Weldon “Dode” Harris and Myrtle Bailey Harris. Leo was born February 13, 1937, in Towanda and recently celebrated his 85th birthday with his children and family. Leo graduated from Towanda Area High School in 1955 and soon after enlisted in the United States Army getting stationed in Germany from 1956 to 1959. Upon his return, he married Shirley Dibble Harris on July 8, 1961, celebrating 60 years of marriage. Leo spent 33 plus years working at GTE Sylvania in the stockroom and company store before retiring. Leo and Shirley loved their children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. From elementary school to college, they rarely missed any game, match, musical, play, performance, or concert, often taking in more than one event each day. Leo's musical talent was inherited by his children and most of his grandchildren who play multiple instruments and love to sing. Leo was a lifetime member of the Monroeton (Kellogg) Mountain Rod and Gun Club, longtime member of the Monroe Hose Company (running the pizza booth with Shirley for 35 plus years), the Towanda Rifle and Pistol Club, Towanda Elks Lodge, Sayre Sportsmen’s Club, and was a regular attendee of the Independent Baptist Church as health allowed. He also had a love for the Monroeton Public Library. Leo took great pride in the importance of scouting that started with his father Dode. Dode was an Eagle Scout, Leo, his sons Leo II (Skip), and Donald (Chip), grandsons (Josh, Jon, Jared and Jayden) Chip and Mary Beth Harris's sons are all Eagle Scouts, granddaughters (Cara, Kelly, Robin) Mindy and Rob Holman's daughters also earned girl scout Gold Award honors. Leo enjoyed many hobbies especially rifle, pistol, trap, and skeet shooting. He enjoyed hunting (Kent Run), fishing (especially the Dryden Trout Derby), bowling at Promart , Starlite, and Shamrock Lanes (25 plus years attending the state bowling tournament), collecting trains, army patches, watching and attending NASCAR with Shirley (Bill Elliot), Towanda, Syracuse (Adam), PSU and Giants football, golfing with Shirley (having a hole in one on the 4th hole at Towanda), woodworking, and wintering in Florida with Shirley for 12 plus years that included weekly even daily trips to Disney and a ride down Splash Mountain. Summer days were often spent canoeing with family down the Susquehanna River. Leo is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley Dibble Harris formerly of Monroeton and currently a resident of the Maria Joseph Nursing Home in (Danville, Pa); children, Melissa (Jeff) Brandt (Danville, Pa), Melinda (Robert) Holman (Towanda, Pa), Leo Harris II (Towanda, Pa), Donald (Mary Beth) Harris (Rome Pa); grandchildren Cara Holman (Pottsville, Pa), Daniella Brandt (Danville, Pa), Nathan Harris (Athens, Pa), Adam (Racquel) Harris (Marietta, Ga), Kelly (Dan) Andrus (Pittsburgh, Pa), Chris (Rachael) Brandt (Carlisle, Pa), Robin (Chris) Plasencia, (Pottstown, Pa), Josh Harris (Bethlehem, Pa), Jon Harris (Bethlehem, Pa), Emily (Wally) Fashola (Middletown, Pa), Jared Harris (Rome, Pa), Jayden Harris (Rome, Pa); and great-grandchildren: Jaden Holman, Ariah Brandt, Everett Harris, Finley Harris, Leonora Harris, Zoe Andrus, brother, Lyall Harris (Monroeton, Pa), sisters-in-law, Audrey (Dibble) Place (Towanda, Pa), Margie (Dibble) Yaple (Towanda, Pa), brothers-in-law, Stan Hugo (Ithaca, Ny), Joe Dibble (Athens, Pa), brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Chuck and Linda (Adams) Dibble (Monroeton, Pa), Walt and Sharon (Dibble) Brown (East Smithfield Pa), and numerous nieces and nephews. Leo was predeceased by his sisters-in-law, Bobbi Harris, Donna (Dibble) Hugo, Connie Dibble, brothers-in-law, Bill Place, Andy Yaple, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Don and Joyce (Dibble) Silk. A celebration of life and memorial service will be held on Monday, March 14th, 2022 at 2:00 pm at the Maryott-Bowen Funeral Home 217 York Ave. Towanda, Pa. Friends and family may call on March 14th from 12 to 2 pm at the funeral home. A luncheon and celebration of life will immediately follow the service at the Towanda Post No. 42 American Legion. We greatly encourage friends and family to attend the celebration even if unable to attend the service and share a story and a drink as we celebrate Leo’s life. The family suggests in lieu of flowers, contributions be directed to the Monroeton Public Library, P.O. Box 145, Monroeton Pa, 18832, the Monroe Hose Company, P.O. Box 48, Monroeton Pa, 18832 or the Independent Baptist Church, 109 Cherry Street, Towanda, Pa 18848 in memory of Leo Charles Harris. Online condolences may be made at www.bowenfuneralhomes.com.