Boyce Rich Harris

Boyce Rich Harris, 87, passed peacefully from this earth and was reunited with his sweetheart Shirley Avery Harris on Wednesday October 14, 2020. He spent his life serving those he loved which included pretty much everyone. He was a dedicated husband and a wonderful father to his seven children.  He was committed to his testimony of Jesus Christ and enjoyed numerous opportunities to serve in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Boyce was born on April 26, 1933 to Everett and Clarabelle Russell Harris in Ogden, Utah, as the eighth of ten children.  He attended Weber High School and earned degrees from Weber College and Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in Asian Studies from University of Washington.

Boyce was drafted into the US Army during the Korean War. He continued serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Southeast Asia Mission. He loved his mission and developed a great love for the people of Asia. Upon his return he met his eternal companion, Shirley, of Saint Anthony, Idaho at a fireside where he was the speaker.  They were married May 28, 1962 in the Idaho Falls Temple.

A lover of words, Boyce taught high school English at Weber High School and used the language skills from his mission to become the first Chinese language teacher in Utah secondary schools teaching at Bonneville High School.

Boyce and Shirley moved to Seattle, Washington for graduate school and found a lifelong love of the Northwest. After graduation he found a job teaching in California, so Boyce and Shirley moved their growing family to Glendora, California and a few years later to San Dimas, California.  Boyce taught English, history, marriage and family, and coached the speech and debate club at Arcadia High school for several years. 

His humble, kind, and fun-loving personality made him popular with his students, who were sad to see him go when he retired in 1980. Boyce, Shirley, and all seven kids moved to the Northwest to open a dry cleaning business.  Boyce kept busy in various church callings and in the Rotary club. He coached little league, refereed soccer games, and lived through five teenage daughters (the two boys weren't exactly a cakewalk either). He loved almost every minute of it all!  He enjoyed being a small business owner, and he and Shirley made a good team. The business was a blessing to their family, and they ran it until retiring to serve an LDS mission together in Taiwan Taipei in 2001. 

Boyce tenderly and devotedly cared for Shirley for many years after she fell ill. They moved back to Ogden, Utah in 2011 shortly before Shirley’s death.  Boyce stayed busy completing a church history mission, and working regularly in the temple. As his body slowed down, he continued to bless others’ lives with his kindness, wit, and smiles, even though he frequently lost his hearing-aids and often didn’t know what people were saying. When he moved into the Assisted Living Facility he was called into the branch presidency and ministered to all of the residents.

Boyce’s favorite pastimes included helping others, gardening, writing poetry and letters, watching sports and being with his family. Boyce is survived by his five daughters Jenifer (Mike) Aldous, Andrea (Robert) Crimm, Rebecca Ditty, Janet (Darin) Ring, and Elizabeth (Madalyn) Harris; one son, Jeffrey (Deena) Harris and a sister Sonia Baczuk, two sisters-in-law Barbara Harris and Delores Harris, 23 grandchildren;  six great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews who all loved him.

He was preceded in death by his wife Shirley, son David, son-in-law Bryan Ditty, his parents, siblings Russell (Janice) Harris, Adele Harris, Everal (Roland) Cheney, Marilyn (Arden) Westman, Margaret (Albert) Williams, James Harris, Thayne Harris, Sharon (Richard) Best, and brother-in-law Alan Baczuk.

His family would like to thank the staff at the George Wahlen Ogden Veterans home and Bristol Hospice for their kind and considerate care of Boyce in his final days.

As we plan how to best memorialize and celebrate Boyce's life, we are grateful for everyone's love and support.  We would love to be able to see everyone and share stories about our dad. However, given the public health hazards, we will have very limited seating at his memorial service.  You will be able to join the service live streamed at Boyce's online obituary at www.myers-mortuary.com.  In lieu of flowers we’d love if you would share a memory on his tribute wall at the website.

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