SALEM - William J. Harrison, Jr., age 75, husband of Catherine (Macleod) Harrison, of Salem, died Tuesday evening in the Salem Hospital following a long illness.
Born in Salem, he was the son of the late William J. Harrison, Sr. and Marie A. (Michaud) Demirs.
Mr. Harrison served in the Navy from 1958 to 1963. He was assigned to the USS Waccamaw and served in the Mediterranean in operations connected with the 1958 Lebanon crisis. Until the end of his active duty in 1963, his ship took part in several tours in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, including during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Mr Harrison attained the rating of Fireman.
He was employed by H.P. Hood in Lynn, and later worked for over 20 years at Bicknell & Fuller in Peabody until his retirement.
Active in and supportive of veterans organizations, he was a life member and past Post Commander of the VFW, Witch City Post #1524 in Salem, and served as past District Commander. He was a life member of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, Post #55 in Salem.
Besides his wife, with whom he celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in May, he is survived by one daughter, Elaine Harrison and Chuck Reardon of Salem, two sons, William J. Harrison, III and his fiancé, Nadine Gagnon of Lynn, James J. Harrison and his wife Jennifer of Nashua, NH, seven grandchildren, William J. Harrison, IV, Ashley Freeman, Alyssa Young, Amanda Corbett, Christopher Corbett, Jason Harrison, Nicholas Harrison, two great grandchildren, Johnathan Corbett, Austin MacDonald, one brother, Thomas Harrison of Seabrook, NH and several nieces and nephews.
His funeral service will be held Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 9 am from the Full-Spychalski Funeral Home, 84 Washington Square East, by Salem Common, Salem, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 am at the St. James Church, Federal St., Salem. Visiting hours are on Friday from 4 to 8 pm with members of the local posts conducting honors at 6:30 PM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Burial is in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. For those who desire, donations may be made in his memory to the VFW Buddy Poppy program at www.vfw.org/Contribute/, or to the Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675, www.WoundedWarriorProject.org For on line guest book, visit www.SalemFuneral.com.