Stanley H. Harris, 92, of New Ross, died on Thursday, December 12, 2013 at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis.
He was born on May 26, 1921 on the family farm near New Ross, Indiana, the only child of John O. and Gertrude Hayes Harris. Until his last illness, he slept in the room where he was born. His cousins, Robert E. Shelton and Margaret Shelton Hybarger, were reared in the Harris home as his siblings after the deaths of their parents.
He was a 1939 graduate of New Ross High School. From December, 1942 to October, 1945, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard, stationed on the Oregon coast. On May 12, 1944, he married Alice Clare Munns at Florence, Oregon, and she survives.
Stanley was a lifelong farmer in the New Ross area, and was a devoted steward of the land, dedicated to leaving it better than he found it. His farm has been recognized with the Hoosier Homestead Award for farms owned by the same family for over 100 years. He was a devoted father and eternal optimist. He was a strong supporter of Shriners Hospitals for Children, and was widely known as "Stan the Onion Man" for his sales of Vidalia onions as a fund raiser for the Montgomery County Shrine Club.
He was a member of Mace United Methodist Church, and a 60-year member of Ladoga Lodge #187 Free and Accepted Masons, Indianapolis Scottish Rite and Murat Shrine of Indianapolis. He was a past commander and the last surviving charter member of Robert Turner Post #427 of the American Legion, New Ross.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughters Lynn E. (Larry) Robison of Darlington and Sheila A. (David) Rhoads of New Ross, son J. Lamont (Sherry) Harris of Crawfordsville. He is survived by five grandchildren, Gail (Roberto) Heredia, Ann (David) Smith, Stephen (Kambria) Harris, Aron (Heather) Rhoads and Beth (Scott) Siple. He is also survived by thirteen great-grandchildren, who are: Gabriela, Laura and Roberto Heredia; Cole, Natalie and Hallie Rhoads; Emory and Avery Siple; Owen and Caroline Smith; and Hadley, Grant and Judson Harris. In addition, David Walls, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, made his home with Stanley and Alice while a student at Purdue University.

Visitation will be from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 15 at Hunt & Son Funeral Home, 107 N. Grant Ave., Crawfordsville. The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 16 at Hunt & Son Funeral Home, with the Rev. Rodger Ward officiating assisted by Tami Mussche. Military honors will be provided by the American Legion. Burial will be at Mace Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mace United Methodist Church, 5569 East US 136, Crawfordsville, IN 47933, or to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.