Harris Napier

Harris Goldman Napier passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on May 22, 2025. Services will be held Saturday, June 7, 2025, at 10:00 AM, at Elmwood Funeral Home in Abilene, Tx. Visitation will begin at 9:00 AM.

Harris was born May 4, 1931, in Brady, Texas. His parents, Floyd and Allene, lived in Menard, Tx, where Harris grew up as the youngest of three siblings. The son of a concrete man, Harris learned early to work hard, be ready to help, and practice gratitude. He learned to always put others before himself, to do his very best, and to love without reservation. He got his kindness and beautiful blue eyes from his mother and his granite determination from his father.

Harris graduated as valedictorian from Menard High School, was Yearbook Editor, Captain and quarterback of the football team, achieved Eagle Scout status, and voted Best All-Round Boy of his senior class. He attended Texas Tech University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. While in Lubbock, he met his beautiful wife and life partner, Jacqueline Mae Henderson, the daughter of a prominent rancher from Eldorado, Texas. They married in 1953, and moved to Port Arthur, Texas to start his first job with Gulf Oil.

Harris was drafted into the Army in 1954 and spent most of his duty in Fort Knox. He was highly regarded by the officers there, and was chosen for a special honor, to be a flag bearer at the Kentucky Derby. Upon his discharge, he went back to work for Gulf Oil in Houston. Soon after, he joined Howe Baker Engineers and moved his family to Tyler, Texas, where they lived for 8 years. Missing the country life, they moved to a farm in Lindale, Tx. where Harris raised angus and simmental cattle on the weekends, while continuing to work at Howe Baker in Tyler.

In 1977 Harris and Jackie decided to move back to Tyler. Instead of selling their beloved farm, they donated it to a group who was determined to make the world better through a prison ministry. On the Napier farm, over the course of 45 years, this ministry blossomed into Calvary Commission, a corporate umbrella for prison ministry, missions around the world, and the Calvary Commission Bible Institute, which has changed the lives of many families.

Harris's career with Howe Baker Engineers spanned 31 years and he retired as a Senior Vice President. During that time, he traveled all over the world, bringing modern chemical processes and facilities to many countries worldwide, and in the process had many exciting experiences.

In 1988, Harris and Jackie retired to her family ranch outside of Eldorado. They raised cattle, faithfully attended First United Methodist Church of Eldorado, and became actively involved in the Eldorado Chamber of Commerce. In 1995, Harris and Jackie helped implement the Eldorado Centennial Walk and Pioneer Families Memorial, which transformed Main Street with memorial brick pavers and graceful oak trees. Harris engineered the walks and laid many of the brick pavers himself. During these years Harris and Jackie discovered a passion for oil painting and Harris created many beautiful paintings of the wildlife they loved. These paintings are cherished by the entire family. In the evenings, Harris and Jackie loved to sit out on the patio under the red oaks and watch the colorful birds and the herds of deer that came up to be fed. They loved the quietness of the countryside and the sound of the wind in the trees. As Harris frequently said, they were blessed to be living in "God's Country."

Anyone who knew Harris understood his honesty, his integrity, his kindness and his great love of family. His children learned the value of hard work and his unspoken expectation of always doing their best. They also knew him as a silly man and a jokester, who loved the Sunday comics and read them out loud to anyone who would listen. Harris loved his wife Jackie with all his heart. In their later years, as they transitioned to Wesley Court in Abilene, Harris looked out for and cared for his wife with gentleness and devotion. They held hands many hours of the day, and he sat with her as she went to sleep every night. They celebrated 72 years together as man and wife.

Harris is survived by his loving wife Jacqueline, and his children, Denise (Bob), Buddy (Julie), Beckett (Amie), and Ben. He will be forever cherished and remembered by his grandchildren, Lauren (Madison), Harris (Shannon), Kelley (Roman), Bobby (Lauren), and Hannah, Maddie, Drew, Zach, and Colby. Harris especially loved his great grandchildren, Preston, Nathan, Marguerite, Sam, Goldie, Bodhi, Zoe, Bennett, and Dylan. His love was returned with gleeful enthusiasm. Harris is also survived by his loving sister Eloise and her family, as well as the family of his brother Buddy.

Harris was predeceased by his son, Bennett, his parents, Floyd and Allene, his brother Buddy, his brother-in-law Ace Amos and his sister-in-law Ramona Napier.

Pallbearers will be Buddy Napier, Beckett Napier, Ben Napier, Bob Ksiazek, Harris Napier, and Bobby Ksiazek. Honorary Pallbearers are Madison Harris, Zach Napier, and Colby Napier.

The family would like to thank the kind Wesley Court Skilled Nursing staff in Abilene, as well as Hospice of the Big Country, who provided peaceful rest to Harris in the last weeks of his illness.

A very special thank you to his wonderful caregivers, Maggie, Rita, Blanca, Maria D., Maria B., Roseann, Stephen, and Tommy. Bless you all.

In lieu of flowers, the family would suggest a donation to the First United Methodist Church in Eldorado, or Hendrick Home for Children, in Abilene, Tx.