Rev. Dr. Jerome Harris

Obituary For Rev. Dr. Jerome Harris

Retired General Officer, Rev. Dr. Jerome Harris passed away on May 8, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee. A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Reverend Harris received his early education in the Montgomery Public School System and was the Salutatorian of his High School Graduating Class. His undergraduate matriculation was performed at Alabama State University, where he majored in Business Administration and Economics and later received the honor of being named “Alumni On the Move.” Additional education was received from the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Banking in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

A veteran of the United States Army, Reverend Harris served during the Vietnam War with tours of duty in the Thailand, Okinawa, and Vietnam. He was honorably discharged in 1969 with the rank of Sergeant E-5 and the Medal of Commendation.

His career in banking began in 1970 when he became affiliated with the former First National Bank of Montgomery, now known as Regions Financial Corporation. He received numerous awards and rapid promotions during his thirty year tenure in banking, including being named “Outstanding Banker of the Year” in 1985. Reverend Harris ended his career in banking in the Year 2000 when he retired as Senior Vice President, Group Manager and Regional Economic Development Officer with responsibility for banking offices in Alabama, Georgia, and the Panhandle of Florida.

He answered God's call to the ministry in 1978 and was ordained an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1981. During his twenty-two years of pastoral ministry, Reverend Harris served as senior pastor of seven churches in Alabama ad was appointed Presiding Elder on two occasions. In 1990, he was assigned as pastor of Saint Paul AME Church - Montgomery, Alabama, the home church of Mrs. Rosa Parks.

He last served as the senior Pastor of Historic Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Selma, Alabama. As the pastor of Brown Chapel, Reverend Harris also sought and obtained the distinctive “National Historic Place” designation for the church and was invited to Washington, DC, to formally receive this honor on behalf of the church from the then Secretary of the Interior, the honorable Bruce Babbitt. The church is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

At the 46th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference held in July 2000 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Reverend Harris was elected a General Officer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the 7th Executive Director of the Department of Retirement Services. This department is responsible for administrating and managing the retirement and insurance programs sponsored by the Connectional Church. He retired from this position at the 2021 General Conference.

He is survived by his wife, the former Sandra Elaine Anderson of Houston, Texas, and has one son, Christopher, and three grandchildren, Iyana, Aiden, and Harper and other family members.

A wake will be held from 11:00am until 12:00pm at St. John's AME Church on Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 12:00pm from St. John's AME Church on Madison Avenue. Burial will follow in Alabama Heritage cemetery.

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