Harris Arthur Martin McCollum

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Harris Arthur Martin McCollum

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(September 13, 1927 – March 27, 2015)

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Beloved father, grandfather, and friend, Harris McCollum of Stephenville, TX, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2015 after a brave fight with Parkinson’s disease. He was 87 years of age.

Services will be held on Monday, March 30, 2015 at 10:00am at Stephenville Funeral Home chapel with Dr. Van Christian officiating. Graveside services will follow at Clariette Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 29, 2015 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm at the Stephenville Funeral Home.

Harris was born to the late Ben and Fannie McCollum on September 13, 1927 in Stephenville, TX. He was a 1944 graduate of Stephenville High School and was an accomplished wide receiver for the Stephenville High School Yellow Jackets football team and a middle distance runner on the track team. After high school, he played football for Tarleton University until he was called to military service. He was a decorated World War II veteran and served in the US Navy aboard the USS R.K. Huntington (DD 781) in the Pacific theater.

After his naval service, he graduated from Baylor University with a degree in History. Shortly after graduation, he began his distinguished career as a Texas public school teacher. During his teaching career he met and married the late Shirley Dollison in 1957, where they spent most of their years in the Stephenville area. Over his career, he taught a wide range of grade levels and subjects such as Spanish, Science, Math, History, Geography, and English. He taught in Brady, Cherokee, Desdemona, Lingleville, Rochelle, Lohn, Melvin, and Mineral Wells ISD where he retired in 1989. He touched the lives of many children throughout his career.

He loved the Bible and his Christian Faith. He was a member of Riverside Baptist Church and First Baptist Church where he enjoyed teaching Sunday School Class. Those who assisted him with his care-giving needs in later years fondly remarked how they enjoyed his singing of hymns. He was a very humble man and appreciated the simple things in life. He was a selfless person and cared tremendously about others, being a friend to all. Harris was also a very avid football fan and especially loved the Stephenville Yellow Jackets.

He was very proud of his children, continuously guiding and counseling them until the end. He instilled deep roots of Faith in them and fostered the importance of service and serving others. They will be eternally grateful to him for the seeds of wisdom and Faith he bestowed upon them.

He is survived by sons and daughters-in law: Barney and Francesca McCollum of Fort Worth, Luke and Leanna McCollum of Bentonville, AR; and daughter and son-in-law Becky and Larry Hammer of Colleyville, TX. Grandchildren are Blake and granddaughter-in-law Kristin McCollum, Austin McCollum, Michelle McCollum, Jenna McCollum, Derrik Hammer and Garret Hammer.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Fannie McCollum; his wife, Shirley McCollum; a son Michael McCollum; and his brother, Ben McCollum, Jr.

The McCollum family wishes expressions of sympathy be made in the form of donations to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (www.pdf.org) and/or Heart to Heart Hospice (www.hearttohearthospice.com).

 

1 Comment

  1. He was one of my teachers in Mineral Wells. I had the pleasure of worshipping with him at FBC as well!
    He was a great man.

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