Tom Harris, beloved son of David and Carol Harris, died on May
9. Tom was born on May 20, 1970 and was a 1988 graduate of Live Oak
High School in Morgan Hill, California. He received his AA in Music
from Gavilan College and was working toward a degree in geology at
San Jose State University.
Tom Harris, beloved son of David and Carol Harris, died on May 9. Tom was born on May 20, 1970 and was a 1988 graduate of Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California. He received his AA in Music from Gavilan College and was working toward a degree in geology at San Jose State University.
Tom was a gifted musician, artist and performer. The bassist for the alternative rock band, “The Chant,” which performed locally for over a decade, Tom was recognized for his guitar skills in Bassist Magazine. Tom appeared on stage and performed in the orchestra on numerous occasions with South Valley Community Theatre. He is remembered by local audiences for his portrayal of Ellard in the Center Stage production of The Foreigner.
A motorcycle enthusiast, Tom worked as a quality control engineer at Indian Motorcycle Company from 1999 to 2002. He participated in Indian’s cross-country Centennial Ride in 2001, riding from Maine to Chicago on an Indian Motorcycle Chief and rejoining the ride with his partner-in-crime, Allison, in San Luis Obispo. In 2001, Tom’s love of science brought him back to school at SJSU to pursue his dream of becoming a geologist. While attending university, Tom was employed by Kaiser Permanente, Santa Teresa.
Tom was an avid outdoorsman, who loved camping, rock collecting, hiking, bicycling, rock scrambling and sailing in the San Francisco Bay. His favorite destinations included Yosemite, Death Valley, Pinnacles State Park, Henry Coe and Uvas Canyon Park. He was often accompanied on his adventures by his beloved German shorthair pointer, Brodie.
Tom is survived by his parents of Gilroy, California; his girlfriend Allison Hodgdon of Los Banos; his brother David Harris of Fresno; his sister Nancy Harris of Berkeley; and his uncle, cousins and grandmother in Amsterdam, New York.
A visitation will take place at Habing Family Funeral Home, Gilroy, Saturday, May 14 from 10am to 1:30pm followed by a 2pm Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Gilroy, California.
A memorial barbeque is planned for Sunday, June 5 from 11am to 5pm at Uvas Canyon Park in Morgan Hill. Details can be obtained by contacting [email protected].
A memorial scholarship has been established in honor of Tom at San Jose State University. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tom Harris Geology Scholarship – SJSU Foundation, San Jose State University, Office of Development & Alumni Relations, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192-0257.
