George B. Harris

Stevensville - George Benjamin Harris was born January 14, 1927 to Cecil T. Harris and Madolin Lenore (Kaiser) Harris in Winona, Minnesota. He passed away July 31, 2025 at age 98. George grew up on the Mississippi River during a time where being referred to as a “river rat” was not necessarily considered a compliment. Nonetheless, he spent his time fishing, hunting, and going to jazz/ big band events on riverboats along the river. He was proud of being an Eagle Scout. George was drafted into the army as WWII was dying down. He was sent to Alaska where he and other soldiers ran a rest and relaxation center to help the soldiers who had been out fighting for a long time back into a position to return home. George worked in the part that had a pool hall and a bowling alley. George worked for Twin Cities Testing drilling and soil testing at the time he met Louise Sobottke. After they married, they helped manage a resort in Crosslake, MN for a while, eventually settling in St. Paul where George worked as a draftsman for the Northern Pacific Railroad. He taught hunters’ safety in St. Paul. He taught hunting, fishing and survival to children, grandchildren and other kids throughout his life. Many young boys built their first campfire under the supervision of Grampa George. George and Louise had two children, Susan and Mark, while they lived in Minnesota. Eventually George was transferred to Seattle, where the family lived for a year. Then George was transferred to Spokane, WA where the family lived for three years and then to Billings, MT for another three years. After the merger of the Northern Pacific and Great Northern Railroads, George was offered the location he really coveted in Missoula, MT where he served the Burlington Northern Railroad as Division Engineer until BNRR vacated their Missoula offices. Then he returned to Billings as an environmental engineer for BNRR until his retirement in 1984. Since then, he and his family have lived in the Missoula area. For the next 40 years, George enjoyed hunting, fishing, trap shooting, skeet shooting, hiking, and canoeing in Western Montana. He made a trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area annually. He and Louise also liked to travel throughout the Western United States several times per year. He played a respectable game of tennis, holding his own with younger players until he was 87. He and Louise enjoyed hunting for bargains at garage sales. George is survived by daughter Susan (Keith) Bomstad, son Mark (Jane) Harris, niece Georgi Hainer Morrison, granddaughters Stacy LaNier and Chiana (Chase) Murray, grandson John (Sandi) LaNier, great grandsons Forest and Logan Stright, Ethan Giebenhain and Boyd Lavoie, great granddaughters Graci LaNier and Kyleah Stright, and great great granddaughters, Raegan and Charlie Stright. He was Grampa George to numerous step-kids, step-grandkids and their friends including Angie (Bryan) Twitchell, Donna (Todd) Townsley, Terry (Keith) Mumma, Kristal (Robert) Tutty and Bridget (Bryan) Mahoney. Last year he posed for 5-generation pictures with Susan, Stacy, Forest and Forest’s daughters, Raegan and Charlie Stright. George was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Louise, his sister Lucy Hainer, and his best friend and brother-in-law, Bill Hainer. A celebration of life and military internment will be held on a date to be determined. Memorials in George’s memory may be sent to Ducks Unlimited or the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. In the words of Clarence, the angel, in the beloved Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life: “You see, George, you really had a wonderful life.” And “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.

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