ROBERT GREGG HARRIS

Fort Worth, Texas - Robert Gregg Harris, “Gregg”, was born in Irwin, Pennsylvania on December 20, 1948 to Ruth Gregg Harris and Louis Hammond Harris. His brother Randy was born in 1950 and the two boys grew up in rural Pennsylvania enjoying the outdoors and all the benefits of a large, extended family. Gregg had fond memories of time spent at Deer Trail - the family-owned hunting lodge - where he enjoyed his grandmother’s baked goods, worked in her gift shop, and mastered her technique for killing snakes with a hoe. He loved riding horses and bicycles, collecting coins and stamps, and playing basketball with Randy (while acknowledging that Randy was a much better player). 

After graduating from Mansfield State College in 1970 with a BA in Math and Chemistry, Gregg taught 8th grade Math for a brief period before continuing his studies at the Medical College of Virginia. He graduated in 1975 with a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and then relocated to Austin, Texas for a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Drug Dynamics Institute at UT. It was in his laboratory during the Spring of 1977 that Gregg had a brief, chance meeting with his future wife Kay. 

Their paths crossed again in August 1978, as both had started working in the chemistry labs at Alcon Laboratories. And so the adventure began. Gregg and Kay married three months later and over the next six years they welcomed three sons, Nathan, Neil, and Brendon. Their home was often mayhem but always filled with love. With his three sons, Gregg had a captive workforce and soon engaged them in yard work and home improvement projects. As Gregg was an avid tennis player, he enrolled them in every possible tennis camp offered by Tut Bartzen at TCU. Gregg taught them to play chess and shoot pool, then took delight in winning all the games. He encouraged their studies, especially math, by creating a formula for them to calculate how much allowance he owed them. He coached his son’s soccer team (The Dinosaurs), was a Dorm Dad for the Winter Park Disabled Ski Team, and participated in his sons’ scouting activities. Gregg was particularly passionate about the Cub Scout’s Pinewood Derby, researching and implementing every possible adaptation (all legal) that could provide a competitive edge. He enjoyed winning in all types of competitions, including card games, tennis matches, bike races, and dog shows with the family corgis. 

Gregg began his career at Alcon in September 1977 in Research and Development, supporting existing products. Later, he contributed to the development of a number of pharmaceutical and vision care products and was recognized as an inventor on six patents. In 1988, he transferred to an International position in Quality Assurance. He traveled to 22 countries (earning “5 million miler” status), transferred technology to various Alcon manufacturing plants and conducted supplier audits. He enjoyed the technical challenges associated with work, but his greatest pleasure came from collaborating with talented colleagues and making lifelong friends. Gregg retired from Alcon in December 2015. 

Robert Gregg Harris died peacefully at home on March 5, 2026 surrounded by loved ones, following a lengthy but courageous battle with frontotemporal dementia. Upon receiving this diagnosis in 2018, Gregg fully understood the trajectory of this disease, yet he never complained. True to his nature, he remained focused and worked as hard as he could to stave off the inevitable decline. Throughout his long goodbye, Gregg continued to show strength, dignity, kindness, and gratitude to his caregivers, hospice workers, friends, and family. He was deeply loved, an inspiration to all of us, and he will be profoundly missed. 

Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Matthew 25:21 

Gregg was preceded in death by his parents and his son Arden Neil. Survivors: wife Kay; son Nathan and daughter-in-law Julia; son Brendon and daughter in-law Sasha; granddaughters Allison Kay and Vera Vivienne; brother Randy and wife Bridget; brother-in-law Bill and wife Susan, numerous nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives, friends, and caregivers. 

Service and Reception: Monday, March 30, 2026 at 11:00 am, in the Main Sanctuary at First United Methodist Church, 800 West 5th Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102. A reception will be held immediately following the service in Wesley Hall. 

Memorials: For those who wish to honor Gregg’s memory, please consider a donation to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (theaftd.org) and/or teach your kids/grandkids a game and then beat them at it.