By Cara Cowan Watts | Cherokee 411
December 7, 1943 – June 17, 2026
Claremore, Oklahoma
Cherokee Nation
David Leon Harris was born on December 07, 1943, in Boatman, Oklahoma, to Clarence and Fredia (Cottrell) Harris. He was raised in Boatman and attended school in Pryor. He was a member of the Oklahoma National Guard. David married Betty Stokes on November 17, 1998, in Vinita, Oklahoma. For many years, he was employed at John Deere in Pryor. David later began working for Mayes County as a mechanic, and was with the county for fourteen years until his retirement in 2005. Away from work, David enjoyed hunting, fishing, working on automobiles and other machinery, as well as going to the casino.
