Obituary of Charles T. Harris

Charles Thomas Harris September 7, 1962 - April 22, 2013 Charles Thomas Harris of Westbrookville passed away unexpectedly April 22, 2013, at Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown. He was 50. He is survived by his wife and best friend, Karen Harris, at home; his mother, Betty Harris, of Goshen; his in-laws, Bill and Marge Ulrich of Yulan; his brothers, Jim Jr. and his wife, Patricia, of Howells and Jason and his wife, Jeanne, of Circleville; his sister, Theo Matta and her husband, Joe, of Goshen; his nephews Sean Harris and his wife, Christina, of Albany, Kyle Harris of Fort Lee, NJ, Josh Matta of Brooklyn, Jason Lyons of Tuxedo, and Jeremy Lyons of Middletown; and his nieces Colleen Harris of Fort Lee, NJ, Erica Scott and her husband, Justin, of New Hampton, Becky Matta and fianc Jack Candela of Middletown and Casey Roberts of Boston and his goddaughter, Alyssa Hammond of Essex Junction, VT, who he loved like a daughter. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He was predeceased by his father, Jim Sr., his sister, Julie, and his cousin, Alyssa Marino. He was a graduate of the University of Buffalo with a degree in film history. He was the owner and creative director of Vibor Creative Design, developing websites, magazines and collateral for many businesses throughout New York, New Jersey and Australia. He was an Eagle Scout with Palms in Troop 61, Mount Carmel. He continued his love of camping to spending summers along Lake Champlain with his wife and mother-in-law and father-in-law. He was a fanatical Giants fan who refused to speak to his Cowboys-loving mother on game days. His rituals led them to their two recent Super Bowl wins. He was an avid sailor since his teens, and he loved to be on his brother's boat. He was the fastest cyclist we knew, always setting his own cadence and leading the peloton. He participated in cycling fundraisers for the Tour de Goshen, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind in Smithtown and the Dempsey Challenge in Maine. Charlie's taste in music was legendary, always seeking out unknown bands. He influenced scores of friends, his younger brother and his friends, who developed tastes for Echo and the Bunnymen, the Cure, New Order, Joy Division and the Stone Roses. He brewed his own beer, mastering beet and blueberry ales and was always seeking out new recipes to try and share with friends. He was a member of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce, the Goshen Chamber of Commerce, the Builders Association of the Hudson Valley, Connected Contractors and the Basha Kill Area Association and was a Keller Williams Hudson Valley United preferred vendor. His commitment to organ donation led him to extend his father's life through the loving donation of a kidney. He loved his corgis, the late Otto and Scully, and his surviving dogs, Ian and Sidney. His introduction of corgis to the family resulted in his brother adopting three of his own. Visiting hours will be Friday, April 26, 2013, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at Donovan Funeral Home, 82 South Church St., Goshen. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 27, 2013, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 90 Euclid Ave., Middletown. Burial will be in Wallkill Cemetery in Middletown. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind or the Tour de Goshen.