Rodger Grimes Harris

Viewing Friday, February 17th, 2017 - 05:30 PM to 07:00 PM - Corbett Funeral & Cremation 807 W Wilshire Blvd - Oklahoma City, OK - 73116 Graveside Service Saturday, February 18th, 2017 - Rose Hill Burial Park 6001 Northwest Grand Blvd - Oklahoma City, OK - 73118 (This event is private) Memorial Service Saturday, February 18th, 2017 - 02:00 PM - Mayflower Congregational Church 3901 NW 63rd Street - OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - 73116 Rodger Grimes Harris, a man of gifted intellect, skill and creativity, was born in Duncan, OK on October 27,1945 to Haskell and Cloe Harris. He graduated from Marlow High School and attended Oklahoma State Univ. and Cameron University. Upon graduating with a business degree from OSU, Rodger entered into the Army 95th Division Reserves, and later married Marie Anderson in 1969. Rodger also attended UCO and received a master’s degree in Southwest Studies, which included a focus on Oklahoma history and frontier humor. Rodger served as Oral Historian and Archivist for the Oklahoma Historical Society for 20 years while interviewing more than 1,200 Oklahomans from all walks of life. He continued an active interest in oral tradition in America and was one of the founders of the OK Folklife Council which hosted many festivals and performances featuring folklife culture of Oklahoma. Rodger remained the executive director of the Folklife Coucil for a period of time. Furthermore, he had an intense interest and skill in research and playing traditional stringed instruments. Rodger was a gifted musician. He wrote ‘Notes on Dulcimer Making’ as a result of building over sixty handmade dulcimers though the years. Rodger was a part of the Falderol String Band for over 30 years. This included traveling to entertain hundreds of adults and children in Australia, Mexico, many parts of the U.S. and all over Oklahoma. Falderol preformed as artists in residence, festival and arts entertainers all the while integrating humor and history with their traditional music. After retirement from the OK Historical Society, he discovered a new passion as an adjunct professor teaching college history for various local colleges and universities. He continued to research and write numerous academic articles pertaining to OK history which have been used in movies and numerous books on the subject. Rodger and Marie have two children, Graham and Lea. Graham, and his wife, Morgan, have one son, Spencer. Lea, and her Husband, Jake, have two children, a son, Daniel, and a daughter, Niya. Rodger took great joy in his grandchildren, and enjoyed cooking Sunday family dinner, as well as singing and telling stories for them. Viewing will be held Friday, Feb. 17th, from 5:30-7:00pm at Corbett Funeral Home, 807 W. Wilshire Blvd., Okc. Memorial service will be held Saturday Feb. 18th at 2:00pm at Mayflower Congregational Church. If you wish to honor Rodger with a donation his organizations of choice are: OK Folklife Council, contact Hayden Roberts (405-323-9265) or Angels Foster Family Network (angelsfosterokc.org). To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Rodger Grimes Harris please visit our Sympathy Store.