Leoma - Jerry Dale Harris, 89, of Leoma died Jan. 23, 2026, at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia.

He was a native of Portageville, Mo., retired in 1978 as a security dog handler for the Air Force and retired in 1997 from security at McDonnell Douglas Corporation. He was a member of Salem Church of Christ and Gandy Community Club and served his country honorably for 21 years in the U.S. Air Force. He is preceded in death by parents, Ernest and Opal Rainwater Harris; and brother Gene Harris (Mary).

Funeral services were Jan. 27 at Neal Funeral Home with Mike Murphy, Skyler Hyde and Keith Barnett officiating. Burial was in OK Cemetery with full military honors.

Survivors include wife Mary Ann Grapperhaus Harris of Leoma; daughter Beverly Ruocco of Boynton Beach, Fla.; sons, Paul Harris of Tampa, Fla., Gary Harris (Cris) of Athens, Tenn., Dale Harris (Danna) of Benton, Ark.; step-daughter Eva Merrell (Charles) of Wentzville, Mo.; grandchildren, Lauren Ruocco, Alicia Ruocco, both of Boynton Beach, Fla., Vincent Ruocco of Waterbury, Conn., Skye Harris of Tampa, Fla., Margot Harris of Lawrence, Kan., Leland Harris (Kelsey) of Auburn, Wash., Kaitlyn Johnson (Aeron) of Wichita, Kan.; step-grandchildren, Joel Merrell of Wentzville, Mo., Rachel Merrell of Maryland Heights, Mo.; four great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law, Frank Grapperhaus (Carole) of Edwardsville, Ill., Paul Grapperhaus (Kathy) of Highland, Ill., Gene Grapperhaus (Ruth) of Bedford, Ind.; sisters-in-law, Alvena Kaufmann of Hixson, Tenn., Virginia Hammond (Terry) of Pekin, Ind., Irene Detmer of Carlyle, Ill., Margie Huelsmann (Ron) of Trenton, Ill., Rita Jurgensmeyer (Gene) of Carlyle, Ill.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.