Adam Hugh Harris, Jr.

Adam Hugh Harris, Jr. passed away on January 24, 2016 at CarolinaEast Medical Center.

He was born in Oriental, NC, on October 9, 1930 at his grandmother’s home with two doctors attending.

He is survived by his wife, Larue Holton Harris of New Bern; his son, David Holton Harris of Winterville; and granddaughters, Rachel Alyssa Harris and Anna Marie Harris.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ethel Brothers Harris and Adam Hugh Harris Sr., his brother, William "Bill" Harris and son, Adam Hugh Harris, III.

Hugh grew up in Oriental and spent much time in nearby Kershaw, NC on the family farm, where his extended family lived.

Hugh went to grade school at Oriental School and high school at Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, VA. From there he was off to North Carolina State College, where he graduated in 1954 with a degree in Engineering.

On June 14th of that same year he married Larue Holton. It was a marriage that lasted with much love for 63 years. 45 of those years were lived on the river in Oriental and the last 16 on the lake in New Bern.

1954 was an eventful year for Hugh. That year he also joined the US Army Corps of Engineers as a Lieutenant. Within months he was deployed to Korea during the Korean War. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal, with two Bronze Campaign Stars, the United Nations Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

In 1974 Hugh was certified as a Professional Engineer (PE) and as a Professional Land Surveyor in 1976. He was also a member of Mensa. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity “SAE” at North Carolina State College.

During his career he worked as an Engineer and Land Surveyor mostly in Oriental and New Bern but also included early stints in Jacksonville FL and Wilson NC. Early in his career he worked for various businesses. He expanded and ran with his Father, a grain business in Grantsboro NC, for many years. He retired in 1996 from Harris Engineering, Inc., an Engineering and Land Surveying business he founded in the seventies.

The following are a few of his other business ventures. He was a farmer for few years and developed some creative practices. He and Larue were active and successful in real estate investments and development. Many people learned to play golf on a 9-hole course, he designed and built in Oriental, which was the first in Pamlico County.

Hugh was a man who valued integrity and honesty. Many people enjoyed his kindness and sense of humor.

The funeral will be at Centenary United Methodist Church in New Bern this Sunday January 31st at 2pm in the sanctuary, followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall at the Church. A visitation beginning at 1pm in the Chapel will precede the service.

For those who wish donations in his name to Centenary United Methodist Church, PO Box 1388, New Bern, NC 28563 or Oriental United Methodist Church, P.O Box 70, Oriental, NC 28571 are appreciated.