Matthew Harris

Matthew Thomas Harris (Matt) was born on September 8, 1988, in Petersburg, Virginia to Jesse Thomas Harris and Robin Perdue. He grew up in Colonial Heights, Virginia and graduated from Colonial Heights High School in 2007, eventually moving to Chester, Virginia.

Matt married his wife, Jessica Harris, on March 14, 2020, and they have two beautiful children, Charlotte Ann Harris and Emma Lynn Harris. He was an exceptional father to his two daughters and loved his wife and family with all of his heart. An additional member of their family is Beric, their four-legged best friend whom his girls lovingly call, “Bubby”.

Throughout his adolescence and into adulthood, Matt was involved in many sports such as golf, baseball, basketball, softball, and volleyball, continuing his love for them by cheering on Duke, UVA, and the Boston Red Sox. Matt was the kind of person that made everyone’s life better through his relationships with them. He would help anyone whenever he could, often without having to be asked.

He began working at A1 Door Company in November 2021 as the Commercial Division’s Product Specialist and quickly became a friend to everyone he encountered. He worked on many large accounts for the company such as Philip Morris and Nabisco and was one of the only employees to have a perfect 5-star rating in all 8 core value categories. He had such a strong impact on the company that they have named their conference room after him: The Matthew T. Harris Conference Room, and his portrait will be hung for everyone to see and remember him. This will be their constant reminder to be more like Matt.  The dictionary defines superlative as: of the highest kind, quality, or order, surpassing all else, or others.  Supreme. We define it as Matthew Harris. As a father, husband, son, brother, friend, co-worker, and employee he was of the highest kind, quality, and order. Supreme.

Matt is survived by his wife and two daughters, Jessi, Charlotte, and Emma Harris; his father, Jesse Thomas Harris; his mother, Robin Perdue Gittman and her husband, Jay Gittman; his sister and her husband, Lauren and Mike Newlin; their children, Will and Madilyn Grace; his grandfather, James Ray Perdue; and so many other family and friends that love him and will miss him tremendously.

His infectious smile and personality will be missed by everyone that knew him, and this world is a better place having had Matt in it, even though it was for such a short time.

A visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Woodlawn Baptist Church, 3512 Virginia Street Hopewell, Virginia 23860, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. and a reception after the service in the Fellowship Hall. We hope that if you loved Matthew and are able, you will join us. Arrangements by the Colonial Heights Chapel of E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes & Crematory, 2033 Boulevard Colonial Heights, Virginia 23834.