Kermit Leighton Harrison

Kermit Leighton Harrison, 77, passed away Nov. 30, 2023. He succumbed to heart failure after a battle with Parkinson's disease.

A lifetime resident of Fallbrook, Kermit enjoyed being an integral part of the community. He graduated from Fallbrook Union High in 1964, and attended University of Arizona, Tucson where he graduated from Pharmacy College in 1969.

He returned to Fallbrook, where he worked as a pharmacist for 50 years, originally at Harrison Rexall Drug, followed by Fallbrook Pharmacy and finally with Rite Aid Pharmacy of Fallbrook.

While at UofA, Kermit enrolled in Army ROTC, entering the Army as a Second Lieutenant. He served at Ft. Irwin Barstow, as well Ft. Lewis Washington. After active duty, Kermit continued with the Army Reserves at Los Alamitos, serving in Desert Storm. He continued his service, specifically priding himself on his times in the Pacific with medical teams on the ground in Sri Lanka and Fiji. He retired from the Army after 32 years as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Kermit lived life to the fullest, always volunteering and pursuing exciting hobbies. He was a volunteer firefighter in high school, and eventually became a Fire Department Board Member.

Perhaps it was his early love of Boy Scouts that led him to the outdoors, as he loved fishing and hunting, especially elk hunting in Colorado. Whether hitting the slopes or the water, you could count on Kermit for a great time skiing. Whether it was motorcycle off-roading, and taking a Jeep off-road, or earning his private pilot certificate instrument rating, and flying with his Mooney aircraft, there was little Kermit didn't endeavor to do.

He became an expert ham radio operator under the call sign K6MY, loved photography, and was forever learning about the latest and greatest of technologies as they hit the market.

While he forever called Fallbrook his home, he caught the travel bug hard while serving abroad for the Army, and continued to travel the world, whether that was on safari in Kenya, or drinking beers in Belfast, he was always ready to see what the world had to offer.

Kermit was a Rotary member, a member of VFW Post 1924, and also loved being a member of the Shafters Car Club.

He is survived in life by his wife, Patricia Harrison; brother Ken Harrison, sister Peggy Wells, his three children and five grandchildren. He will be forever missed in all of the lives he touched while endeavoring to live his own best life to the absolute fullest.

A viewing will be held Friday, Dec. 15 from 10-11 a.m., followed by services at 11 a.m. and luncheon Fellowship with attendees at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1620 S. Stagecoach Lane. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made to Christ the King Lutheran Church or http://www.animalkind.net.