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Irwin “Ernie” Harris, deemed the “consummate” pharmacist by his peers and supervisors in the BWH Pharmacy where he worked for 30 years, died Dec. 2. He was 64.
“Ernie was everything you wanted in a pharmacist–diligent, meticulous and accurate,” Bill Churchill, MS, RPH, Pharmacy director, said. “He had a great laugh you could hear all over the department. He will be sorely missed.”
Harris grew up in Worcester as the son of a pharmacist and herbalist. He worked in his father’s store, earned his degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 1962 and lived in California for eight years. Over the last three decades, he worked in several areas of BWH Pharmacy, including “The Vault.”
Harris took tremendous pride in his work and loved BWH and his colleagues as his second family, his wife Ruth said. “He enjoyed everything about his job, especially teaching the new and younger technicians,” she said of her husband of 30 years.
Harris was known by everyone at BWH as “Ernie,” a nickname given to him in jest in 1975 when he received incorrectly addressed mail. “Everyone started calling him ‘Ernie’ 30 years ago, and when I called Irwin at work, I asked for ‘Ernie,’” she said.
In addition to his wife, Harris is survived by one son, Michael Harris; three brothers; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. BWH will hold a memorial service in January, and memorial contributions in his name can be made to BWH or the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.