Carter Harris

HOLLAND, MA – Carter Harris, 76, of Holland, MA, died Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

Carter was a man of few words.  He spent them wisely. He was kind, generous, punctual and always ready with a joke, a quip or an anecdote regarding the events of the day. 

Carter was born in Manchester, Connecticut on April 10, 1946 to Samuel and Eleanor (Howard) Harris. He was an Army brat and enjoyed his early years on military bases in Cape Charles, Virginia and Wiesbaden, Germany.  He attended Wiesbaden High School where he excelled in track and football and started his first band. Carter was known to  regale family, friends and the occasional stranger with his adventures traveling throughout Germany in his dad’s convertible, visiting countless beer halls and music clubs along the way.

Carter graduated from Colgate University (1968).  He met Cindi, the love of his life, and was forever grateful to have won her heart and her hand.   Carter served honorably in the US Army. After completing a tour in Vietnam, he was stationed in Frankfurt where he was joined by his wife.  Their daughter Kira was born shortly thereafter.  Upon his return to the U.S., Carter worked in the insurance business (Hartford and Worcester) until his retirement.

Carter’s dad gave him his first drum kit in his early teen years, a set he played until his passing. He was a founding member of The Magneatos, a band he played with for nearly four decades. He was a collector of music.  He read the liner notes and could connect the dots across decades and genres, but only if you asked him to.  He scoured flea markets near and far for drums (and other treasures).  He researched and restored those flea market finds, and throughout his life he gifted drum sets to many aspiring young musicians.  On occasion he would attend drum shows to display his work, offload some inventory and meet new friends.
 
Carter liked cooking, live music, sports, hosting parties at the lake and the good old days of the New Orleans Jazz Fest.  He was a consumer of news and of beer.  He had a bald head, a great smile and a welcoming heart.  Carter enjoyed the company of many a loyal dog throughout his life, and provided a loving home for several rescue dogs in their twilight years.  He was known to be generous with treats, a scratch behind the ears or a belly rub, earning him a reputation with the neighborhood dogs who still stop by daily for a visit.

Carter is survived by his wife of 53 years, Cynthia (Steele) Harris; daughter, Kira M. Harris and son-in-law, Brian Voigt of Waitsfield, VT; and cousins Richard and John Treat of Bolton, CT.  A party to celebrate his life is planned for later this summer.  In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in his honor to the ASPCA or your local humane society.