Richard «Dick» Sumner Harris, age 86, was born in Waltham, Massachusetts on December 29, 1929. At a young age, he joined the all male choir at Emanuel Episcopal Church in Boston, Massachusetts. He was one of a small group chosen to sing at a funeral in a private chapel on the Sears Estate.

After graduating from high school in Newton, Massachusetts, Dick enlisted in the United States Army. He served 18 months in combat zones in Korea between 1951 and 1953.

In 1955, Dick joined his older brother as a volunteer firefighter in Needham, Massachusetts. He remained a member of the Needham Fire Department for almost 30 years, serving his final 10 years as the Superintendent of Fire Communications. Dick would retire on a disability following heart surgery.

Dick moved to Tokyo, Japan to teach english and ended up living there for 9 years. This is where he met his loving wife, Etsuko. They were married December 25, 1991.

Dick retired again in 1994 and he and Etsuko moved back to the United States, touring around for a time. They finally settled in Oregon, first living in Gresham before moving to his final home in East Portland.

Dick’s fire service roots could not be denied and in 2004, he found himself volunteering for Portland Fire & Rescue doing historical research for the Fire Museum. His love of photography and the fire service combined to lead to his 2006 appointment as Portland Fire & Rescue Volunteer Photographer. Dick followed fire calls across the city capturing images of fires and firefighters. His work not only chronicled the hard work of Portland Fire & Rescue, but provided snapshots of emergency scenes to help firefighters learn more about the event in order to become more proficient at their work.

Dick is survived by his wife, Etsuko Kawasuji-Harris and his entire Portland Fire & Rescue family. He will be missed.

A graveside service will be held on October 19, 2016 at 11:00 PM at Lone Fir Cemetery, SE 26th Avenue between Stark and Morrison Streets, at Block 5, the Firefighter’s Section.

A reception will follow at noon at the Portland Fire & Rescue Logistics Center, 2915 SE 13th Place, Portland.