The Rev. David W. Harris, 96, formerly of Creighton, died Monday at Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center, Rockford, Ill.

He was born July 15, 1911, in Creighton, a son of George G. and Elsie Mabel Williams Harris.

Rev. Harris devoted his life to the ministry and his family. He was converted in the Methodist Church in 1930 and joined the Free Methodist Church in 1934. In 1935, he joined the Pittsburgh Conference, where he was the oldest surviving member until his death.

Rev. Harris was ordained as a deacon in 1938 by the most Rev. Bishop Pearce and became an elder in 1946. He retired from the ministry where he held positions of pastor, superintendent, committee or board member and was noted for his thoroughness.

Rev. Harris was pastor in Cannonsburg in 1935, Millvale in 1936, Indiana from 1937 to 1940, Sarver in 1940, Black Lick from 1941 to 1943, Blairsville from 1943 to 1947, Natrona Heights from 1947 to 1949, Frankstown Avenue from 1949 to 1951, Penn Hills and Uniontown from 1951 to 1955, Rochester in 1955, Uniontown District Superintendent from 1958 to 1962 and Wellsburg from 1963 to 1968.

In 1968, he took a leave of absence from Pennsylvania and ministered in the Illinois-Wisconsin Conference until he retired in 1976.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Bernice Mae Lord Harris, whom he married in 1935 in Hookstown; a son, Richard George Harris, who died at the age of 12 in 1948; and his beloved daughter, Ruth L. Harris in 2005, who was his life. He was also preceded in death by brothers, William Harris and sister-in-law Lillian Harris and Frederick, Walter, Samuel and George Harris; and sisters, Emma Harris and Mabel Zaborowsky and brother-in-law, John Zaborowsky, whom he joined in marriage in 1941.

Survivors include a brother, Wesley (Melda) Harris of Ohio; caretaker and niece, Joan (Earl) Murray of Saxonburg; nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces, great-great-nephews and cousins.

<B>HARRIS </B>— Friends of the Rev. David W. Harris, who died Monday, May 19, 2008, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Memorial Day, at the <B>PAUL R. AJAK FUNERAL HOME</B>, 921 Freeport Road, Creighton. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Eugene Cowsert officiating. Burial will follow at the Prospect Cemetery, Brackenridge.Memorial contributions may be made to the Pittsburgh Conference, Free Methodist Church, 200 James Place, Suite 406, Monroeville, PA 15146-3445.