Harry Christie Obituary Harry Benjamin Christie, III February 18, 1946 - September 18, 2020 Franklin - Harry Benjamin Christie III, affectionately known as "Mr. Harry" while Director of Maintenance at The Children s Center in Franklin, VA, died September 18, 2020, from complications of the COVID-19 virus. He was 74. Harry was born on February 18, 1946 in Mt. Airy, NC to Rev. Harry B. and Ruth Sutphin Christie, both deceased. He married Vivian Biedenbender on February 1, 1969. Harry worked for 33 years at Union Camp/International Paper Company before retiring from the sales department in June 2000. In 2000, he created a maintenance job for himself at The Children s Center in Franklin, a position that was the highlight of his career and where he could frequently be found riding his Harry-sized big wheel with the children. He retired in 2015 from The Children's Center. As an active member of Franklin Presbyterian Church, he served in myriad capacities: elder, treasurer, maintenance committee chairman, audio technician, and candy supplier for the young and young at heart. He was also an avid bowler, active member of the local Lions Club, and loved having fun with his business, Bounce-N-More VA, bringing bounce houses, cotton candy, and sno-cones to the Franklin community. His neighborhood enjoyed the 100s of cotton candy treats he made for trick-or-treaters every Halloween. Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Vivian Christie; brothers Gary Christie (Frances) of Lynchburg, VA and Dan Christie (Sarah) of Mebane, NC; his sister, Joya Christie Schmidt (Bill) of Atlanta, GA; his sisters-in-law Karen Cronin (Ed) and Susie Atkinson (Billy); many adoring nieces and nephews; his special young friend Julia Pollard; and two spoiled furbabies, Lucy and Holly Jolly. A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 3rd, at Wright Funeral Home in Franklin, VA, with the Rev. Dr. Lou Ventura officiating, followed by a reception at Franklin Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. The service will be live streamed during that time for those that are unable to attend. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Franklin Presbyterian Church or The Children's Center. The service can be viewed live on Facebook at: https://m.facebook.com/Wright-Funeral-Home-114251662075086/ (You do not need a Facebook profile to access this page or view this content) Harry Christie Obituary (1946 - 2020) - Franklin, VA - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See also: 1) https://www.wrightfuneralhome.org/obituary/Harry-Christie-III 2) https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/pilotonline/name/harry-christie-obituary?id13560999 3) https://www.pilotonline.com/obituaries/harry-b-christie-franklin-va/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Narrative Summary of the Obituary Harry Benjamin Christie III, known as "Mr. Harry," passed away on 18 September 2020 at the age of 74. He was a dedicated maintenance director at The Children's Center in Franklin, VA, and an active member of his community, leaving behind his wife Vivian and many loved ones. ### Narrative Summary of Funeral Services A memorial service was held for Harry Benjamin Christie III on 3 October 2020 at Wright Funeral Home in Franklin, VA. The service was live streamed for those unable to attend. Memorial contributions were made to Franklin Presbyterian Church and The Children's Center. ### The Edited Obituary Harry Benjamin Christie, III 18 February 1946 - 18 September 2020 Franklin - Harry Benjamin Christie III, affectionately known as "Mr. Harry" while Director of Maintenance at The Children's Center in Franklin, VA, died 18 September 2020 from complications of the COVID-19 virus. He was 74. Harry was born on 18 February 1946 in Mt. Airy, NC to Rev. Harry B. and Ruth Sutphin Christie, both deceased. He married Vivian Biedenbender on 1 February 1969. Harry worked for 33 years at Union Camp/International Paper Company before retiring from the sales department in June 2000. In 2000, he created a maintenance job for himself at The Children's Center in Franklin, a position that was the highlight of his career and where he could frequently be found riding his Harry-sized big wheel with the children. He retired in 2015 from The Children's Center. As an active member of Franklin Presbyterian Church, he served in myriad capacities: elder, treasurer, maintenance committee chairman, audio technician, and candy supplier for the young and young at heart. He was also an avid bowler, active member of the local Lions Club, and loved having fun with his business, Bounce-N-More VA, bringing bounce houses, cotton candy, and sno-cones to the Franklin community. His neighborhood enjoyed the hundreds of cotton candy treats he made for trick-or-treaters every Halloween. Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Vivian Christie; brothers Gary Christie (Frances) of Lynchburg, VA, and Dan Christie (Sarah) of Mebane, NC; his sister, Joya Christie Schmidt (Bill) of Atlanta, GA; his sisters-in-law Karen Cronin (Ed) and Susie Atkinson (Billy); many adoring nieces and nephews; his special young friend Julia Pollard; and two spoiled furbabies, Lucy and Holly Jolly. A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, 3 October 2020, at Wright Funeral Home in Franklin, VA, with the Rev. Dr. Lou Ventura officiating, followed by a reception at Franklin Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. The service will be live streamed during that time for those that are unable to attend. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Franklin Presbyterian Church or The Children's Center. The service can be viewed live on Facebook at: https://m.facebook.com/Wright-Funeral-Home-114251662075086/ (You do not need a Facebook profile to access this page or view this content) --- ### Vital Statistics Summary | Name | Harry Benjamin Christie III | |---------|---------------------------------| | Age | 74 years | | Birth | 18 February 1946; Mt. Airy, NC | | Death | 18 September 2020; Franklin, VA | ### Table of Relationships | Name | Relationship | Residence | |-----------------------------|----------------|--------------------------------| | Harry Benjamin Christie III | Decedent | Franklin, VA | | Vivian Christie | Spouse | Franklin, VA | | Rev. Harry B. Christie | Parent | Unknown | | Ruth Sutphin Christie | Parent | Unknown | | Gary Christie | Brother | Lynchburg, VA | | Dan Christie | Brother | Mebane, NC | | Joya Christie Schmidt | Sister | Atlanta, GA | | Karen Cronin | Sister-in-law | Unknown | | Susie Atkinson | Sister-in-law | Unknown | | Julia Pollard | Special Friend | Unknown | | Lucy | Pet | Unknown | | Holly Jolly | Pet | Unknown | ### Other Relevant Information 1. Harry Benjamin Christie III was affectionately known as "Mr. Harry." 2. He served as the Director of Maintenance at The Children's Center in Franklin, VA. 3. Harry worked for 33 years at Union Camp/International Paper Company before retiring in June 2000. 4. In 2000, he created a maintenance job for himself at The Children's Center, which he considered the highlight of his career. 5. He was an active member of Franklin Presbyterian Church, serving in various capacities including elder, treasurer, maintenance committee chairman, audio technician, and candy supplier. 6. Harry was an avid bowler and an active member of the local Lions Club. 7. He owned a business called Bounce-N-More VA, which provided bounce houses, cotton candy, and sno-cones to the Franklin community. 8. Harry made hundreds of cotton candy treats for trick-or-treaters every Halloween.