John Charles Harris

John Charles Harris, Age 76, of Las Vegas, Nevada, passed away on 16 August 2024 while touring Europe. John, sometimes referred to as “Johnny” by older family members, is the son of Billy Joe Williams and Mary Edna Hamlin and was born in Charleston, South Carolina on 06 February 1948. To those who knew John, he lived a full and eventful life that taught him many lessons. Anyone who talked to John knew they would be told an interesting fact, or that he would provide insight that many people would not have known.

 In 1970, John married Marewenikai Boutu, with whom he had four children, James Harris, Mary Harris, David Harris, and Daniel Harris; John and Marewenikai divorced in 1994. In 1995, John then married Quyen “Maile” Thi Harris with whom he gained three stepchildren, Kim Buhler-Thomas, Wynn Slothower, and Kalani Slothower.

John is a retired Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) officer and Sergeant First Class in the United States Army. John joined the NHP in 1987 and retired in 2002. To mark his retirement from the NHP, then Governor of Nevada, Kenny C. Guinn proclaimed 8 November 2002 as a day in honor of Trooper John Harris. In 2008, John officially retired from the United States Army, marking the end of over 30 years of service to the United States. 

John is survived by his four children, his three stepchildren, his seventeen grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and his favorite child, Cookie. John’s grandchildren all brought him great joy and he was proud to be their grandfather. John’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren are: Giordan, Joshua, David Jr, Jacob, Megan, Cassidy, Jared, Kolby, Jayana, Caitlin, Riley, Evan, Jolina, Malaea, Lily, Jaden, Charlotte, Edison, and Abigail.