Harris, Sr. and his wife, Mrs. Harris, on August 16, 1953 in Berkeley, California. Today, 61 years later, while nine funeral homes have closed in the City of Berkeley, Harris Funeral Home is still a thriving family-owned-and-operated business as well as the only funeral home operating in the City of Berkeley. We are proud of our tenacity and our family’s history of contributions to social and moral change in our local community. In 1945, Mr. Elihu Harris, Sr. was drafted into the Army where he served for four years. Though he aspired to become a medical doctor, Mr. Harris was unable to matriculate at a professional school—mostly because of Jim Crow laws. Like many African Americans during this time, at the end of his term of military service Mr. Harris migrated from the South to the Bay Area in search of employment opportunities being created by the war. The Jim Crow laws at that time mandated segregated funeral services for citizens of the state of California. Thus Mr. Harris saw an opportunity to serve a definite need in his new community. The Harris family created a strong business by staying true to their social values. In addition to the services the funeral home provided, Mr. and Mrs. Harris made microloans to members of the community and volunteered their time to many local and national organizations. In every area, their creed was “Service That Reflects the Dignity of Every Family”. Over the last six decades, through the social upheaval that typified Berkeley in the ‘60s and ‘70s on into the new millennium, the business has quietly maintained Mr. & Mrs. Harris’ high standards. Harris Funeral Home has evolved from our beginnings serving the African American community to our position today, offering services to all mankind. The Harris’ committed much of their time to community advancement. They were active in local groups and causes, utilizing their respective military and teaching backgrounds to support the areas and neighborhoods they called home. Elihu Harris, Jr., their only child, followed their example of service, working as Congressional Aide to Congresswoman Yvonne Burke, Professor for California State University, Executive Director of the National Bar Association, and as Assemblyman in the California State Assembly. In addition, Elihu Harris, Jr. served as a member of the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and later became Mayor of the City of Oakland in 1991. After Elihu Sr. passed away in 1998, his wife Francis continued as owner of the funeral home until her recent passing on June 3, 2010. Mrs. Harris’ transition has marked a turning point: As a family, the next generation has decided to take the funeral home in an exciting new direction. Providentially, Elihu Jr. has recently retired as the Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District, making him more available for involvement in the family business; as he also continues to maintain a private law practice. Turning The Page
By adding key Legacy Preservation Services to our business model, the Harris Funeral Home is fundamentally altering our approach to serving the needs of families in the Bay Area. Through the sadness of saying goodbye to Mr. & Mrs. Harris, the family is also looking forward to maintaining our founders’ social, moral, and familial legacy as we continue to serve our community, and beyond
