Tim Harris, our beloved husband, father, brother, friend, font of both wisdom and bad jokes, and a great storyteller, passed away on a beautiful May day, surrounded by his family.

Tim was born in Rockford, IL, in 1944, to Mary and Marion Harris. He was the second of four kids, along with Pat, Joe, and Jeanne, and although he didn't talk about his early years often, when he did, the stories were almost always funny. Tim's high school yearbook said he was a friend to everyone, which will ring true with all who knew and loved him. He never met a stranger. Taking him on errands was a test of his family's patience because he always saw someone he knew and was happy to spend a half hour catching up with them while the frozen food unfroze.

The part of Tim's early life he liked best to talk about was his college years at the University of Illinois in Champaign. All ten of them. Disabled as a result of childhood polio, in college Tim competed as a wheelchair athlete, traveling the world and setting records. He swam, raced, and played wheelchair basketball and football, but his favorites by far were the field events, especially discus and shotput. Tim participated in several Stoke – Mandeville games, represented the USA in the 2nd Paralympic games in Tokyo in 1964, as well as many other national and international sporting events. He was a charter inductee to the Wheelchair Sports Hall of Fame, and he won countless medals and accolades.

Tim was a self-confessed arrogant jock in those days, and when he met a beautiful girl he liked, he attempted to vault a hedge to impress her. It did not succeed. Particularly because he couldn't stick the landing. However, he was a smooth talker and rather persistent and he wore her down eventually. He said on his death bed, after 53 ½ years married to Judy Webb, that she was the only girl for him.

Tim and Judy were married in August of 1970 and moved to Helena in 1973. They were a bit surprised to find out that they'd be having a baby in 1974. One week after Tim's thirtieth birthday, they welcomed their first child, Molly. John came along the following year, and then Annie and Kate a few years later. Tim was uncertain about fatherhood, right up until he held Molly for the first time. And the family that he and Judy built together is strong and beautiful and so very close. Clannish even. His family was what he was most proud of, and he loved them hard.

Over the years Tim worked at a number of different careers, but his true calling was in public education. Tim spent many years working in special ed through the Montana Office of Public Instruction. He travelled the state and his coworkers became lifelong friends. Plus he made an enormous difference in the lives of a lot of kids in Montana.

Tim's faith was one of the most important things in his life. He and Judy became involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal early in their relationship, and along with being members of a local parish, were very active in Power of the Word community. They met some of their closest friends through the prayer group, people Tim loved and cherished the rest of his life. Tim and Judy were longtime members of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic church and Tim was part of the parish's RCIA program, guiding adults joining or rejoining the church. He stayed very involved and engaged with the work of OLV until his health made it too difficult.

Tim spent his last day with his wife, his kids and grandkids, and a few close friends, sharing his wisest words and a few wisecracks. Discover what you're good at and do it to the best of your ability. Find God wherever you can, and let faith be your guide. Do good and take care of people. Love each other and be compassionate. Practice forgiveness.

Tim will be sorely missed and life will never be the same for those of us who loved him. He is looking forward to a grand reunion with his parents, his sister Pat, his nephew Michael, and his dear friend and brother Mike Krings. Those of us who are waiting to join the hooley in heaven include his wife Judy, his children Molly Harris, John and Michelle Harris, Annie Harris and Will Leishman, Kate Harris and Thomas Wetzstein, his grandchildren Evie and Jack Stanley, his sister Jeanne and her husband Forrest Nutter, his brother Joe and his wife Laurel Harris, and a vast host of dear friends and loved ones. Raise a glass of the pure to Tim Harris and share a few funny stories and bad jokes in his memory. We love you Tim!

Our family would also like to thank the wonderful staff at Angel Care for their compassion and support for Tim over the past two years.

Please consider making a donation in Tim's name to Helena Food Share or Our Lady of the Valley Catholic parish, both of which were close to his heart.

Join us for a celebration of Tim's life on June 14 at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of the Valley, 1502 Shirley Rd., Helena. A vigil will be held at 6:30 PM on the 13th, also at the church. Please join the family for a luncheon after the funeral service, and burial will follow the luncheon.  Simple Cremation Montana has assisted the family.