Obituary of Brice F. Harris

BRICE FRANKLIN HARRIS, PhD 19 July 1977 – 17 March 2019 Brice Franklin Harris, PhD., passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 17, 2019, following a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Brice was a loving and dedicated father, husband, son, brother and friend. He never met a stranger, and saw value in all people. Brice’s circle of friends stretched far and wide. He lived every day with curiosity, compassion and sheer gusto for life. Brice was a Pensacola boy— born in Pensacola on July 19, 1977, and raised in Navy Point. He attended Escambia Christian School and public schools in Pensacola. In steadfast pursuit of knowledge, he studied at Pensacola State College, the University of West Florida, and the University of Florida’s Study Abroad Program which included studies at the University of Utrecht, Denmark, Arhus University, The Netherlands, and the University of Salamanca, Spain. He then attended Missouri State University for Master’s studies, and ultimately received his PhD from the University of Reading, United Kingdom, in 2007. He completed his dissertation while in residence at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) in Pensacola. Brice worked in the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development (OTTED) for a year, where he identified issues germane today in the space-tourism industry. In 2011, Brice accepted a position with the University of West Florida, Office of Economic Development and Engagement. He was appointed Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Opportunity in July 2015. Brice married Ashley Hodge in Pensacola on November 5, 2011. From their union they have a son, Miles Jackson Harris; age 5. Brice and Ashley were true partners with the utmost love and respect for one another. Brice is survived by Ashley and Miles; his mother, Linda J. Harris; brother and sister-in-law, Benjamin F. Harris and Carol Harris; nephew, Steven Blake Harris of Pensacola; his father and step-mother Steven and Rudi Harris of Hertford, NC; two step-sisters, Jennifer Anne Hoffman and Laura Lynne Bradley, and aunts, uncles, nephews and cousins and extended and loving family in Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Delaware, Kansas, California, Louisiana, DC, Maryland, and Connecticut. Services will include a Celebration of Life on Sunday, March 31, 2019, from 2 – 4 p.m. at the Museum of Commerce, 201 E Zaragoza St, Pensacola, FL 32502. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Baptist Cancer Institute for Patient Support Services, or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Members of the family have also arranged to accept contributions to the education fund for Miles via Ugift. Those interested in donating to this fund may do so at https://www.ugift529.com, using Ugift code Q58-O76. Call (850) 565-1030 or email MilesCollegeFund@gmail.com for more information. The family would like to thank Oncologist Dr. Sherif Ibrahim, the remarkable team of nurses and staff at Baptist Health Care who provided Brice and his family not only compassionate care, but continued encouragement, unwavering support and love.