Mark E. Harris

Mark Harris, 68, of Livonia, Michigan, passed away unexpectedly on August 25, 2020, in his home. He was born to parents William and Virginia (Springer) Harris on September 6, 1951, in Wayne, Michigan. After graduating from Garden City West in 1969, Mark served his country from 1970-72, including time in Vietnam. Soon after returning, he began working for the Kmart Corporation. For the next 30 years, Mark managed several retail stores in Southeast Michigan and Northern Ohio, leading and entertaining his employees at various Jupiters, Kresges, Makros, Pace Warehouses, Sam’s Clubs, Kmarts, and a Home Depot before taking a well-earned retirement in 2013. A tremendous leader with a generous heart, Mark not only made the people around him feel better, he made them better people because he was invested in them. A proud and loving father and grandfather, he frequently traveled around the country to visit his two sons and their children. As the oldest of seven children, he considered his brothers and sisters to be his best friends, spending countless hours hosting them at his home, checking in with them on the phone, and vacationing with them in Europe or in Panama City, Florida. A devoted member of NorthRidge Church, Mark’s faith and innate goodness led him to teach Bible study classes and counsel fellow parishioners through their own difficulties. He found personal relationships and shared history very important, and one of his personal highlights was organizing a yearly reunion for alumni of the Garden City High Schools. In his final years, he reconnected with a high school girlfriend, Cheryl Rogers Morris, and they married in May of 2019. They brought renewed spirit into each other’s lives, and above all they spent much of their time making each other laugh. As a husband, father, grandfather, son, sibling, cousin, counselor, boss, friend, golf partner, and all-around joyful presence, Mark will be missed by many. In the words of Elvis Presley: Mark, thank you. Thank you very much. Mark is survived by his wife, Cheryl; his children, Cory (Cristan) and Christopher (Leticia), and their mother, Mila; his grandchildren Griffin, Sophia, and Christopher; his step-grandchildren Christina, Kaitlyn, Bradley; his mother, Virginia (Duane); his siblings Gordon (Luana), Scott (Peggy), Ellen (Steven), Karen (Michael), Gale, and Wanda (David); his stepmother, Shirley; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, William. A viewing will take place on Saturday, August 29th from 3pm-9pm at Vermeulen-Sajewski Funeral Home, 46401 Ann Arbor Road West (between Sheldon and Beck) in Plymouth. To share a memory, please use the share a memory tab on this webpage.

Mark E. Harris

September 6, 1951 - August 25, 2020