General Information
Full Name: Ronald Ira Harris
Date of Death: Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Ron was born at St. Mary’s Hospital, Passaic, New Jersey in 1935 and was the oldest of two children born to Morris and Sophie Harris. He and his sister Rani grew up going in and out of cousin’s homes in Passaic, NJ, and spending summers at Grandma’s in Belmar.
In the early 1960’s Ron found his way into a New York City apartment shared by a group of glamorous Pan Am stewardesses. It was there that he met a beautiful woman named Beverly “Jane” Harris. They fell in love and on November 7, 1963 were married. They moved to Wayne and had three children, Jennifer, David and Stephanie. The couple and their family remained in Wayne and in 1995 began to split time at their second home in Delray Beach, Florida.
Throughout his life, Ron had the audacity and optimism to start many businesses. Many families owe their livelihood to the businesses that would not have existed were it not for his boldness. He also held a PHd in “winning at Gin Rummy” as his friends from Addison Reserve and Preakness Hills can attest.
However Ron’s focus and greatest pride was his family. This love extended to his cousins, nephews, nieces, and also his many friends whom he considered family. But his greatest pride was reserved for his grandchildren, whom he took on an annual “warm-weather” holiday trip each December. Ron will always be remembered as a charismatic, inspirational, industrious and kind man who committed himself to his family with utter devotion and served his country with pride in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Ronald is survived by his wife Jane of Delray Beach, FL, his daughter Jennifer Macleod and her husband Gary, of Bradenton, FL; his son David Harris and his wife Janine of Wayne, NJ, and his daughter Stephanie Harris of Montclair, NJ, eight grandchildren; Ian, Shannah, Lucas, Ella, Sophie, Nathan, Rowan and Lena; and his sister Rani Garfinkle of Boca Raton, FL.
Donations in Ron’s memory may be made to HEADstrong Foundation, a charity that provides housing, meals, recreational activities and financial assistance to those affected by cancer using the following link: https://pledge.headstrong.org/
Service Information
Sunday, March 27, 2022 11:30 AM
Service at:
Louis Suburban Chapel
13-01 Broadway, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
Burial at:
Cedar Park Cemetery
735 Forest Ave, Paramus, NJ 07652
As the first baby in the family, I remember being on my uncle Ronnie’s shoulders quite often in my early years. Since he had a running thing about being taller than my dad, I was sure that was the very best view around and I felt very, very important when I was up there.
Then there were the constant games of “Cry Uncle.” In retrospect, I wonder if he knew that all my negotiating to say, “please” instead of “uncle,” was really because i didn’t need him to let go of me?
May all who mourn find comfort in each other and all the memories of our very own, movie star handsome, Rat Pack crooner!