Joseph Dean Harris

Joseph (Joe D.) Dean Harris, 68, died peacefully on Thursday, Mar. 10, 2016 of natural causes at his home in San Diego. He will be deeply missed by his wife of 38 years Cynthia (Cindy) Harris (Mikols); daughters Julie Harris of Anchorage, AK, Lori (Alex) Esparza of Indianapolis, IN, and April Parras of Menifee; grandchildren Nathan, Evan, Noah, Matthew, Brynne and Austin; sisters Paula Campbell of Dana Point and Suzie Newcome of Bend, OR; brothers Tom Harris and Mark Harris of San Diego, and Jack Harris of Denver, CO; sister-in-law Elizabeth Mikols and brother-in-law Joseph Schindler of Silver City, NM; several Italian cousins and countless friends. Joe was born on May 21, 1947 in San Diego to Joseph C. Harris and Fernanda (Fern) A. Harris (Icardi), who owned and operated four serviceman photography studios on W. Broadway in San Diego. Despite being born legally blind due to Nystagmus, he grew up working in the darkrooms of his parents’ studios and graduated from Hilltop High School in 1965. As a young adult, Joe took on various bartending jobs, including a stint at the Hotel del Coronado, and harvested kelp from a commercial boat out of San Diego harbor. In 1972, a shipboard accident severed nerves in his right leg, leaving it permanently numb. Following in his parents’ footsteps, Joe opened A-Official Passport Photo & Visa, his first photo studio, at the corner of Midway and Rosecrans in 1975. After he married Cindy in 1977, three daughters and three more studios–in Chula Vista, Escondido and Oceanside–followed. Joe settled his young family in Escondido and coached his daughters’ softball teams in the Escondido Girls Softball League for several seasons. Joe was a loyal and lifelong fan of his beloved Padres and Chargers, and always held out hope for playoff spots for both teams. He was proud to cheer on the Padres at World Series games in 1984 and 1998, and mourned Tony Gwynn as though he were family. He also owned race horses, a hobby he shared with his brother Tom, and spent many days at the Del Mar Race Track. Joe delighted in swimming with his kids and enjoyed fishing, skiing, golfing and reading the print copy of the newspaper every morning. He was passionate about travel and took several international trips, including a backpacking trip across Europe in 1978 with his brother Jack. Joe spent his final few years as a resident of Imperial Beach, where he became a beloved and popular fixture in the neighborhood. With his dog Chuey underfoot, he spent countless hours on the porch listening to sports games on his old battery-operated radio, texting his brother Jack, and chatting with almost every local and beach-goer who would pass by. Joe was known for his sense of humor and quick smile. The size of his heart easily dwarfed his towering stature. His life was proof of the existence of unconditional love and that even 68 years is not enough time. Funeral services for Joseph D. Harris will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, Mar. 17, 2016 in the chapel at Holy Cross Cemetery, 4470 Hilltop Drive, San Diego, CA 91902. Visitation is from 10 a.m. – noon on the same day at Legacy Funeral Home, 7043 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942. Relatives and friends are welcome for both. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial funds in his name to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America at 114 West 41st St., New York, NY 10036 or Escondido Girls Softball League / registration scholarships at PO Box 1208, Escondido, CA 92033.