Derrick Martin Harris

Born:     April 03, 1956

Parents:     Bryant Harris (Father), Kylie Harris (Mother)

Siblings:     Patsy Norman, Jerry Harris

Spouse:     Colleen Harris

Children:     Chad Harris, Kendall Harris (deceased)

Grandchildren:     Savannah Harris, Miranda Harris, Kerrigan Harris, Sierra Harris, Kendall Harris

Photo Gallery:     Secondary Character Album

Bio:     As a junior in high school, Derrick met the love of his life, Colleen Simpson.  He was smitten right away.  The only problem was that she was two years younger than he.  He didn’t let it stop him though.  Upon graduation, he asked her father for her hand in marriage, and he agreed only to allow them to become engaged to be engaged with the stipulation that Derrick find a job and earn a living to save money for their future.  Derrick joined the army.  After basic, he was sent to Yuma.  He hated being separated from Colleen, but knew that it was the best for their future.  When she graduated, he returned to Gotham and they were married.  Together, they returned to Yuma and after a very brief honeymoon, they settled into real life.  He soon realized that while she loved him more than she could say, she hated living there.  So he did the selfless thing and allowed her to return to Gotham where she gave birth to their first son, Chad.  She lived in Gotham with their parents who helped with the baby and with her second pregnancy, which was a surprise result of one of his trips home to visit.

When he did not re-enlist in the army, he returned to Gotham and he, Colleen, and their two children found a small house where they were all finally able to be together.  He took a job as an auto mechanic for one of the most successful auto dealerships in Gotham and made a very good living.  He also supplemented his income as lead guitarist and lead singer for ‘Home of the Brave’, a very popular local band comprised of local veterans who played in support of the troops.  Colleen was able to attend college and earn a degree in elementary education.

When Derrick’s sons became old enough to play football, he and his father volunteered as a coaches for their Pop Warner football teams.  Derrick stuck with them as a coach throughout their ‘careers’.  He was the assistant head football coach both years that Chad quarterbacked the high school football team to state championships.  He was in the same position when Kendall won his one championship playing wide receiver.  He is a very devoted father, never pushing his children to do more than they want to do, but always aspiring to be all that they can be.  The one thing he has always demanded from them is to be good people, caring people, people who can be trusted and depended upon by those around them.  He never settled for less and his sons always looked up to him for it.

He is also a devoted grandfather who enjoys spending time with his grandchildren.  Upon retirement, he and Colleen attempted to retire and move to Florida.  His mother is still living in a full care facility for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.  She lives  close to his brother, Jerry and his family, but her care is very complicated and it’s easier to have two people assisting than just one.   They chose a place with a beach front so that when the grandkids visited, they could swim and have fun.  However, upon the death of their youngest son, Derrick decided to move them back to Gotham to be closer to Savannah.  The decision was made after Colleen suffered a nervous breakdown and faith-based counseling revealed that what she needed to do was be back at home near her remaining son and all of her grandchildren, particularly since Savannah needed her.