TIVERTON, R.I. - Denton B. Harris, 84, of Tiverton, R.I., died Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at Sakonnet Bay Retirement Living, Tiverton, R.I.
He was the husband of Carrie (Robinson) Harris.
Born May 2, 1927, in Orange, Mass., he was the son of the late Warren Augustus and Ruth (Ballard) Harris.
Mr. Harris served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He received a bachelor's degree and master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst; he also received a doctorate in ocean engineering from Texas A&M University. Denton
started his career working for the research department at the DuPont Co. in Delaware. He also spent time working at Woods Hole, Mass., in oceanographic studies. He most recently was a professor of engineering at UMass Amherst until his retirement, after which
he resided in Plattsburgh, N.Y.
He was a world traveler, loved food and wine and enjoyed the outdoors - skydiving, scuba diving, skiing, water skiing, mountain climbing, camping and flying his own Cessna.
Besides his wife of 33 years, he is survived by his children, Julie Lyn (Harris) Fisher of Indialantic, Fla., Patricia "Pattie" Trifero and her husband, Joseph, of Middletown, R.I., Wendy Boyd and her husband, Keats, of Cotuit, Mass.; his stepson, Larry Johnson,
and his wife, Jeanne Pardee, of Charlottesville, Va.; his grandchildren, Sean Joseph Trifero, Cora Lou Harris, Lindsey Trifero, Jamie Bishop, Ilya Boyd and Anya Boyd; and his great-grandchildren, Taylor Trifero and Cole Trifero.
He was the father of the late Chad Harris and brother of the late Phillip, Warren, Robert and Courtenay Harris.
A "Celebration of Life" will be held April 21 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Sakonnet Bay Retirement Living in Tiverton, R.I. An interment will be held for close family April 28 at 11 a.m. at the Central Cemetery in Orange.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at www.lls.org/#/waystohelp/donate/donateonline/, or the charity of one's choice.
Funeral arrangements are by Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, Portsmouth, R.I. Condolences, information and directions available at www.memorialfuneralhome.com.