William Gerald "Jerry" Harrison passed away on April 2, 2024 in Panama City, Florida at 90 years old. Daddy was predeceased by Mama, June Rowell Harrison, who passed away February 13, 2017, and his parents, William F. "Billy" Harrison (1908-1986) and Ruth Brown Harrison (1914-1999). He is survived by his brother, Franklin Reese Harrison and Linda Harrison; his sister, Barbara Harrison; and us: Julie, Jim and Mallory Mullins; William, Susan, Cooper (Lexey Mowat), Morgan (Tanner Baeder), Reagan and Kennedy Harrison; and Rex, Cathy, Ben, Jacob (Gracyn DenBesten) and Caleb Harrison.

Daddy was born on December 18, 1933 in the home of his aunt on Grace Avenue in Panama City. Thanks to the attentiveness and persistence of a nurse at his birth, he was kept alive in a shoebox until he was viable. Following kindergarten at his Aunt Ethyl's Kindergarten, he attended Panama Grammar where his father, Billy, was principal. Billy had been a student at Panama Grammar as a child and knew discipline well, having had to once plant Sycamore trees in the school's front yard as his own discipline. One of those trees remained for over 100 years until it was toppled by Hurricane Michael in 2018. So when Daddy was to receive discipline from his daddy, then principal, certainly Billy remembered his own discipline there. He gave Daddy a paddling at school as his principal, and then paddled him again, as his father, when they got home. No doubt Daddy remembered his own discipline when it was time to discipline his own children in the years to come.

When Daddy was 10 years old, his father resigned his positions as principal of Panama Grammar and Cove School to join the United States Navy as a ship captain. Enroute to Navy training, Billy suffered injuries in a train derailment. Simultaneously, Mama's family was relocating from South Alabama to Panama City where her mother worked at the Sherman Shipyard and her father established Rex Drug Shop downtown Panama City two blocks from Harrison Motor Company. Following the train derailment injuries, Billy continued his military service as Landing Ship, Tank (LST) captain in the Pacific Ocean and returned home in 1945 after victory in World War II. Young Jerry continued along in school as his world changed around him.

Daddy advanced to Bay County High School where he joined the Million Dollar Band. Mama, the relatively new student from Alabama who had moved in to the small community of Panama City, was first-chair clarinet and was positioned in band class next to her then boyfriend who was second-chair clarinet. Daddy was third-chair clarinet on the far side of Mama's boyfriend. The band director challenged the three to sing Middle C and Daddy performed better than the second-chair clarinetist. That resulted in Daddy being moved up to second-chair next to Mama and their budding relationship began to flourish.

Daddy attended Emory University at Oxford until he transferred to University of Florida where Mama was already attending college. After two years in Gainesville and graduation, Daddy entered dental school at Emory University College of Dentistry with a State of Florida tuition subsidy since there were no dental schools in Florida at that time. Upon dental school graduation, he moved home to Panama City where he and Mama married in 1957. Mama was Daddy's patient during his licensing exam where Daddy performed his first root canal on her. He opened his dental practice on Beach Drive downtown near Rex Drug Shop, where Mama worked with her parents, and Harrison Motor Company, owned and operated by Billy and his granddaddy, as we called him, William F. Harrison, Sr..

From 1960 to 1965, we were born and the family grew up on Marie Ann Boulevard. Mama and Daddy purchased a cottage on White Western Lake in their early years and we explored what felt like untamed wilderness with a small boat used for water skiing and fishing and a Honda 50CC mini-bike Rex and William won in a $1.00 raffle at Mid-City Little League. The Lake became and continues to be a favorite retreat for all generations of our family.

Later in the 1960's Daddy moved his dental office from downtown to 11th Street near our home in St. Andrews. He practiced his love of dentistry there until he was 87 years old. We flourished in the new neighborhood surrounded by community leaders who had also moved there. The City's mayor, the sheriff, the postmaster, a banker, and numerous children of similar age and close proximity to schools provided fertile resources for us to grow in every manner. Bicycling to Oakland Terrace Elementary and Jinks Jr. High School and to all points in between gave us access to the heart of Panama City along with sporting fields, friends' houses, St. Andrews Bay and our grandparents: Ruth and Billy and the beloved Nannie Bell Rowell. Mama's daddy died before we were born, so we didn't get to grow up with him.

Mama was a part-time pharmacist when we were young and Daddy continued to expand his dental practice and began his leadership responsibilities at Palo Alto Church of Christ where he served as an elder, the Florida Dental Association where he served as President, Kiwanis where he attended for 65 years as well as other community, professional and service organizations.

Daddy employed us as youthful labor to assist skilled craftsmen in the mid-1970's thorough renovation of a Cove home which then served as homebase to active watersports for us through Bay High School and college as we learned independence in our preparations for varied careers and starting our own families. In 1978, Mama returned to pharmacy full-time.

In the 1980's Daddy developed the woodlands behind his dental office known as Balboa Chase. He was able to exercise his love of building, architecture, and planning to a larger scale. Here again, we served as assistants in bringing his dreams to reality. Mama returned to full-time pharmacy at Gulf Coast Hospital during these years and lasting until 2006 where she served most of those years as their Chief Pharmacist.

As Mama nurtured us, Daddy led with authority. His cell phone numbers intentionally spelled "TOO BUSY". His guiding principles included: "I know men in the ranks who will stay in the ranks. Why? I'll tell you why, simply because they lack the ability to get things done" and "act enthusiastic and you'll be enthusiastic". We all had to be out of bed before he left for work and he would give Mama a list of tasks each of us children were required to accomplish before the day's end. We had to give a report at each night's supper. As a result, some of us dutifully use lists, and some of us abhor them.

In the mid-1990's his grandchildren started being born. Cooper, Mallory and Ben started a new era in this branch of the Harrison family tree. Mama and Daddy became known as Pop and DaJu. Pop took the name of his grandfather as he took on this new role and Mama became known by a jumble of toddler words originally intended to be Mama June. A new planning horizon challenged the dreams and preparations for a new generation of the family. Just before we all settled in to the expanding family, Jacob, Morgan and Caleb added new life and changed the dynamics once again. Pop and Daju's concerns were quickly drawn to Caleb's early challenges and his glowing capabilities exemplified all the characteristics and traits that Mama and Daddy had been striving to instill in us children. Their hard work of raising us to be of good character in good times and challenging times was beginning to show evidence of success. Years passed and we were joined by Reagan and Kennedy, all very grand, grandchildren.

Daddy held virtually every leadership position in the 6,500 member Florida Dental Association in the 1990's leaving lasting changes that have improved the recruitment, retention and professional development of Florida dentists resulting in improved care for millions of patients across the State. As a longtime elder at Palo Alto Church of Christ, he helped the congregation transition to new facilities on US231 in 1994 without debt.

With a full-complement of the next generation surrounding them, Mama and Daddy sought to take their grandchildren to the larger neighborhood of the world after the turn of the century. They wanted to take by the hand their next generation to see many of the remaining historical sites the children and grandchildren had learned from biblical studies, American history and several natural wonders of the world. In the meantime, simple pleasures like ice cream and Dan-D-Donuts, which had been restricted from us as children began to be delivered weekly to the doorsteps of awaiting grand, grandchildren. Mama and Daddy exercised strict health food practices on us which virtually prohibited white flour and processed sugar, both of which became great attractions when we moved away for college. Daddy's lifespan extends well beyond his ancestors and he credits daily vitamin supplements, for those wondering. Worth noting, he specifically gave up French fries years ago, but continued with a constant diet of donuts and tater-tots. Go figure.

Daddy continued working with focused attention to detail as Mama retired and enjoyed a slower pace and increased time with Cooper, Mallory, Ben, Jacob, Morgan, Caleb, Reagan and Kennedy. Health for both brought increasing challenges and when faced with heart surgery, Mama was determined to "swing for the fence" in hopefully attaining new physical strength and capabilities. After six months of hospitalization in Panama City and Gainesville, with determination exhibiting her life's motto "Never give up!", she succumbed to illness and passed away. Daddy was flummoxed. He had planned for and expected to pass away before Mama. For the next five years, until he was 87 years old, Daddy poured his remaining energy in to dentistry. He never admitted to retiring when he sold his dental practice to Ben and Jacob nor to being older than anyone around him. He constantly mentioned how much Mama did for him in ways he never fully recognized until he was forced to live without her.

We are deeply appreciative of those who helped us support and encourage him during his later years, especially his best friend and great brother, Franklin and Linda who both extended endless kindness to him.

A child of the Depression and World War II, Daddy's life was defined by daily hard work, constant achievements and accomplishments and earning one's own way. Mama and Daddy sacrificed tirelessly for us, taught us constantly, challenged us continually, provided for us unselfishly and showed us pathways and opportunities they always dreamed we and our children, their spouses and their children could experience. We love them both dearly and will honor their legacy. Our family looks forward to joining together with them in eternity

Julie, William and Rex

Pallbearers are Rex Harrison, Ben Harrison, Cooper Harrison, Jacob Harrison, Caleb Harrison, Tanner Baeder, Jim Mullins, and William Harrison

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2: 8-10

Funeral services will be held at Palo Alto Church of Christ, 3119 US 231 N, Panama City, Florida 32405 on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 3:00pm CT; visitation of family and friends at 2:00pm CT and interment following services at Greenwood Cemetery on Lisenby Avenue.