| Poonte |
Posted
on 22-Dec-03 11:37 PM
I just got this sad e-mail from a classmate of mine:
Subject: Bro. John Harris CSC Passed Away
I just heard the shocking news as I called St Francis HS in Mountain
View, CA for Bro. Harris. He passed away in his sleep Sunday morning,
December 21, 2003. There were no indications of major illness or
cause, other than he reported of not feeling well on Saturday evening.
His body will be flown to Notre Dame, Indiana for burial on Saturday,
Dec 27, 2003. The main contact number to inquire about services in
Indiana is (574) 631-4000.
Let's all hold Bro. Harris's memories in our thoughts and
prayers during the holiday season.
*******************
For those of us who were taught by Bro. Harris, he truly was an enigmatic, exciting and passionate teacher. May his soul rest in peace.
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| dhocholecha |
Posted
on 31-Dec-03 02:23 PM
Remembering Brother John Harris
I knew Brother John Harris for about two years, some time ago, and I remember how some of us students loved giving him hell. When he'd turn to write on the blackboard, for instance, we'd start humming, only to stop abruptly when he'd swivel around to scan unsuccessfully for culprits, then we'd continue humming as soon as he turned to the board again. This back and forth would get so ridiculous that eventually the entire class would break into laughter, and Brother Harris, red with helpless rage, would glare vengefully at the usual back-row suspects, who'd all be looking up at him with docile, innocent attentiveness. While he never caught me in that particular mischief, he did, however, collar me for several others, and got me suspended once. But despite us being adversaries in class, Brother Harris's patience, to my surprise, wore down my rebelliousness and we eventually made peace.
The man also loved to party and he occassionally treated me--as he did others--to fancy restaurants in Thamel. (I loved ordering the most expensive dishes and watching him shake his head in resigned amusement.) He was even known to attend Mha Puja at some of his students' homes! His willingness to socialize with students and engage them as equals made me feel like he was one of "us".
I don't remember many facts about Brother Harris, except that he taught in Chittagong, Bangladesh, for many years before coming to Kathmandu, that he was of the CSC order, that he had family in Michigan, and that he loved Nepal, his students, and teaching. I do, however, recall his heavy-set features, his innocuous jokes (which he considered bawdy), as well as the tiresome "idiom posters" we had to cut and paste for his English class (he believed the assignment to be creative and challenging). It was his earnest efforts that ultimately won the day!
I can still picture him driving agonizingly slow on his 90 cc red Honda, and also recall how unselfconsciously ridiculous he looked in a Dhaka topi. But above all, I remember him as a good human being, generous, kind and unpretentious.
He will be missed!
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