Lt. Col. Douglas Edwin Harris

Lt. Col. Douglas Edwin Harris, of Asheville, died on January 17, 2026, just seven days after his 83rd birthday.

He was a son of the late Edwin Ben Hur Harris and Betty Arledge Harris. Doug graduated from A.C. Reynolds High School in 1961. He then attended and graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1966. Doug enlisted in the Air Force and received his wings in 1968, deploying to Vietnam in late 1969. While in the Air Force, he flew the F4 Phantom in combat in Vietnam. He later flew C130 transports, having the interesting task of transporting Viet Cong POWs from South Vietnam back to Hanoi at the end of the war.

Doug was in declining health the last three years of his life and was cared for by the staff at The Greens of Weaverville. The family is grateful to Jesse, Stacey, both Sabrinas, Alex, Crystal and many others for caring and helping Doug with the physical challenges he had and most importantly, the spiritual. He considered them his good friends. The family is also thankful to Doug’s neighbor, Beth Molaro, who faithfully watched Doug’s home, collected his mail and happily helped with so many other tasks.

Doug had many close friends including Larry Roland, his childhood friend who faithfully came to visit him at The Greens every Saturday afternoon. Friend, Bill Lemke, hiked and backpacked over 6000 miles of trails in the Appalachians with Doug climbing multiple peaks over 6000 feet. Bill and his wife Bonnie provided Doug with lots of creative inspiration. Doug, Larry, and Bill were also Air Force buddies.

Doug also enjoyed his hiking group friends, “the usual suspects:” Diane, Greta, Rita, Jan L, Betty, Charlie, Jim, Chester, Jann N, Margaret, and Harry. Thank you Jan L. for coming to see Doug on the occasions when he needed you the most.

Doug is survived by brother, Gregory and his wife Karen, of Williamsburg, Virginia; nephew, Benjamin and his wife Stefani, of Windsor Colorado; niece, Kate and her husband Luke of Bogota, Colombia, as well as three grand-nephews, Wesley, Graham and Clay, and three grand-nieces, Savannah, Kiley and Mila.

A memorial service for Doug will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 17 Shawnee Trail, Asheville, North Carolina on Thursday March 19, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.

Doug’s remains will be interred at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery, Black Mountain, North Carolina.

“But we do not want you to be uninformed… about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” ‭‭1 Thes 4‬:‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Groce Funeral Home on Patton Ave. is assisting the family.