Joseph Wesley Harris

December 16, 1946 - December 12, 2022

Joseph Wesley Harris was born and raised in San Francisco, and lived in the Bay area all his life. He was an altar boy at St. James Catholic Church, attended Riordon High School and then USF. He completed his master’s degree in Psychology at New College.

Sober since 1997, he worked for many years helping others get and stay sober through his positions at Walden House and San Francisco Drug Court. He ultimately retired from SF City and County Placement in 2017.

Joe will always be remembered for: Leaving love notes for his wife around the house. Being sartorially splendid. His strong encouragement that others be honest and speak their mind. His wicked dry sense of humor. As a former cab driver, his insistence on telling you the best way to get around the city. His love of vacationing in very hot weather using only baby oil to tan with. His late-night reading of novels, particularly anything by Carl Hiaasen. Teaching his fantastic Relapse Prevention classes. His hunger for chicken piccata and any bread served warm, as well as his belief that pizza was best served with french fries. How he preferred the Paul Butterfield Blues Band yet tolerated his wife’s penchant for playing 80’s tunes in the car. When he took far too long to groom his beard but looked gorgeous when done. That he would always watch The Shawshank Redemption if it was showing on TV. Most of all, his kindness, his laughter, and his beautiful voice.

He was preceded in death by his father Jack Wesley Harris and his mother Julia Marie Harris. He is survived by his loving wife Stephanie Boyden, who sends her love out to him across space and time with every breath.