Dumah Gene Harrison passed away on October 10, 2015 after 88 years of life and service. Over the course of his working life Dumah’s jobs included the Census Bureau, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Postal Service – and always farming. Other than farming, his jobs never defined him.
Services will be held at 12:30 pm at Hillside Memorial Chapel Tuesday, October 13, 2015 with Rev. Tommy Stowe officiating. Burial will follow at Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6 pm until 8 pm at the funeral home.
Dumah was a godly man. At 24, he was the youngest ordained Deacon at Antioch Baptist Church and no matter what church he was in for the rest of his life, he was active in service until he no longer could…at 84 years old! Whether leading Boy Scouts or Royal Ambassadors, working with teens, taking mission trips as a carpenter, singing in the choir, leading a music ministry, serving as deacon, volunteering with the Red Cross or spending 6 months as unpaid staff for the US Forestry Service, his was a life of service to God and to others.
Dumah was a loving and doting son. “Pop” (his father) was his best friend. He worked the farm with his father and brothers. His best childhood memories were of spending time with Pop and his Grandpa Johnny.
When he married Laura Mae Harrison his family grew, not just with their children but including in-laws and extended family as well. He took care of and loved his wife and children and continued to respect and love his parents and in-laws. At one point, he added a second job in order to live and work as his father-in-law’s partner in the dairy business. It wasn’t because of his love of the dairy business. He did it in order to benefit his family and to let his wife be close to her family. Dumah was the go-to person for the whole family anytime there was a crisis or a need. Whether his parents, his in-laws, his children or the many cousins and extended family everyone in the family counted on him for help and for leadership.
As a young man Dumah learned to love travel. He hitch-hiked to Kansas at 15. He served in WWII in Austria. At 20 years old he drove cross country with a friend to introduce a new-born child to grandparents. He was never afraid to travel no matter the destination.
Dumah Harrison was the epitome of a jack-of-all trades. Mailman, farmer, mechanic, carpenter – there seemed to be nothing that he couldn’t do/build/fix/repair. His math skills bordered on genius. Unfortunately for his children, Dumah’s math skills were an inherent gift instead of being learned and trained. It was frustrating to us when he would solve my trigonometry or Algebra problems in his head – and then not be able to explain to me how I could do the same – he just knew and understood numbers.
Dumah Gene Harrison will be missed. (4) children, (7) grandchildren, (15) great-grandchildren (and growing) are only the beginning of the lives that he has influenced.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Bethlehem Baptist Church Missions Fund, P.O. Box 488, Clarkesville, GA 30523.
Funeral arrangements by Hillside Memorial Chapel, Clarkesville. 706-754-6256
