Out-of-state

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Robert C. “Bob” Harrison, 74, passed this life on Wednesday, Oct. 25,

2017. Born in

Little Rock,

Ark., he was the only child of Robert and

Zerita Muldrow Harrison. He completed High school at Scipio

A. Jones High

School and earned a B.S. degree from Philander Smith College in Little Rock. He spent the early years of his career at Reynolds Aluminum Company in Bauxite, Ark.; Lockheed Missiles Co. In Sunnyvale, Calif., and relocated to Huntsville, Ala., in 1968.

Bob worked as a Human Factors Engineer at Matrix Co. in Huntsville before establishing ownership of the Bob Harrison Ford & Lincoln Mercury Dealership, in Fayetteville, Tenn., an enterprise which earned him the national honor and rank of the 64th largest black owned corporation in America. He later became a registered Broker on the New York Stock Exchange with Merrill Lynch. A gifted visionary and entrepreneur, he coowned and established several local business endeavors including USA Land Development and Consulting.

A long-time civil rights activist and community volunteer, he was elected Commissioner of Madison County, Ala., District VI on Nov. 2, 2004. His district represents over 56,000 residents of northwest Huntsville/Madison County. He was re-elected to that position in November 2012, and re-elected for a third term in November 2016. As Commissioner, he has worked tirelessly to economically build and rebrand the depressed northwest sector of Huntsville, establishing such entities as the Northwest Huntsville Community Service Organization, Inc., the Northwest Community Learning Center, development of a Former Offenders Changed For Unconditional Success (FOCUS) Program, and managing a Project Harvest Program that plants and harvests fresh garden produce for the poor, elderly and homebound. In Feb. 2013 construction was completed on the Robert “Bob” Harrison Senior Wellness