WARRENSBURG – Warrensburg business owner and community supporter Cliff Harris died Monday, Jan. 8 of pancreatic cancer. He was 63.
Harris was known as a business owner and an avid supporter of the University of Central Missouri, among other Warrensburg organizations.
Warrensburg Ford General Manager Shawn Jeffrey said Harris’ cancer diagnosis was unexpected, as he showed no major symptoms. Jeffrey said Harris did, however, have a lingering cough, and Harris went to the doctor before leaving for an out-of-state trip. Harris’ youngest son, Evan Harris, said that about two weeks after visiting the doctor, Harris received the diagnosis.
“He was with us for seven weeks after that,” Evan said.
Harris was well-known in the Warrensburg community. He was associated with many organizations and has been a sponsor of UCM Athletics for years. Vice President of UCM Athletics Matt Howdeshell said he had only known Harris for a short while, but he knew Harris to be a supportive person.
“His support wasn’t just limited to financial,” Howdeshell said. “Cliff was in attendance at every athletic event that he could make with his busy schedule. Football games, basketball games, auctions, fundraisers, golf tournaments, you name it, Cliff was at everything and he was invested all around. I think his motivation in everything he did was to impact the student-athletes and making sure that as many student-athletes as possible benefited from his passion for UCM.”
Howdeshell said Harris also provided him with support as he took on the role of Vice President of UCM Athletics over the summer.
“Even though my relationship with him was a short time, it was deeply impactful for me personally,” Howdeshell said. “He was one of the first individuals in town I spoke with, I got to know, one of the first lunches I had when I started the job here. I just remember how willing he was to not only engage with me but to support me and help out our department, our student-athletes in any way he could. I knew he was a reliable friend that I could lean on, that I could call and ask questions and bounce ideas off of. Again, even though our time was short, I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Howdeshell said Harris was a founding member of the Wheel Team.
According to his obituary, Harris supported numerous Warrensburg organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Project Graduation, Warrensburg Schools Foundation, Wounded Warriors, Band Car, UCM Athletics, Warrensburg Main Street, Central Missouri Speedway, Gage Gymnastics, Johnson County Rodeo, the YES program, Johnson County Cancer Foundation, and the American Heart Association Heart Walk.
Harris worked at multiple car dealerships and eventually became an owner. According to his obituary, Harris got his start at Summit Ford before moving on to Independence Lincoln/Mercury and Odessa Chrysler. He purchased Warrensburg Chrysler in 1997 and Warrensburg Ford in 2005, which expanded into Marshall in 2006 and to California, Missouri in 2020.
Evan said his father’s journey in the car dealership field began when he was hired to work for Warrensburg Chrysler.
“After months of trying to get a sales job at a dealership in the city, they finally hired him,” Evan said. “Then he worked his way through there and moved up in the process and then was given the opportunity to buy in and run the Warrensburg Chrysler store after years of managing and working his way in the dealerships in the city. So that’s what kind of brought him back here. They saw an opportunity to buy this store and knew that he was the guy since he was from here and grew up here. It all just kept moving on from there.”
Evan told the Star-Journal that his father bought his first dealership at age 37. Jeffrey said he believed Harris could have gone even further in his career but he didn’t because he wanted to be able to stay involved with all of his employees.
“I would argue that most people that we see, not all, but a lot of successful business people have to be very just number driven and they don’t allow themselves to connect to the employee base because if they develop an emotional connection with them, then it can be more difficult to make the decisions based on the numbers,” Jeffrey said. “Cliff was the entire opposite. He knew all of his employees by name. He tried very hard to acknowledge all of them and it got difficult as the organization grew, but he still made sure that he got to all the dealerships. ”
Jeffrey described Harris as kind, humble, and generous. He said many employees loved Harris’ Christmas parties.
“It was so much fun and it ended up evolving to where he had this cash wheel and he loved this wheel,” Jeffrey said. “He would have, I think it was over $20,000 this last time, and he would have two baskets if you will and the employee would have their name in there and then the guest of the employee — so the spouses and significant others and friends and partners — would put their name in there as well because he wanted all of them to have the opportunity because he would always say, ‘thank you for allowing me to have so much time with your significant other that’s spending so much time working at my organization.’”
Jeffrey called Harris a best friend and told the Star-Journal they’d worked together since 1997. He said Harris helped him purchase a house and attended many of his daughters’ gymnastics competitions. Jeffrey said he has many amazing memories with Harris.
“It gives me goosebumps because I feel so blessed and so lucky to have somehow crossed paths with him because he was such an inspiration in my life and in my growth,” Jeffrey said. “That was a constant mentor and patient education that he provided for me. He was one of a kind. I won’t meet another man like him in my lifetime and I know that.”
Evan also saw his father as an inspiration.
“He was my best friend and the biggest influence in my life,” Evan said. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was make him proud. So having him to look up to and call and lean on with any questions was just, I don’t even know how to put it into words how much I would like to thank him for everything he has done for his family. I don’t think I can describe how much I really valued time with him.”
Harris is survived by his wife, Leah, and his children, Clifford Adam (Bryanne) Harris, Amanda Harris and Evan Harris, along with his mother, two sisters, and six grandchildren.
A memorial service took place Saturday, Jan. 20. Arrangements are under the direction of Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home in Warrensburg.
Annelia Nixon can be reached at 660-747-8123.
