Obituary of Ivan H. Harrison

Portville - Dr. Ivan H. "Ike" Harrison "Retired Dentist, Beloved Father & Grandfather" Ivan H. “Ike” Harrison, 90, of 31 Brooklyn St., life-long resident of Portville, died April 23, 2020, of natural causes, at his home. He was born on May 29, 1929, to Bernard Wellington and Mae L. Phearsdorf Harrison at Olean General Hospital. The family lived in Olean until 1938 when they moved to Portville where his father was a general contractor. He was a hard worker from a young age, working for his father. A 1947 graduate of Portville High School, he excelled in all sports, especially in football as the team placekicker. He started college at St. Bonaventure University, but quickly transferred to the University of Buffalo, where he graduated in 1952. On August 5, 1953, in the garden of Mary Lou’s family home at 9 Temple Street, Portville, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Lou Wormer. They were married for 63 years. The couple lived in Buffalo, while Ike earned his DDS. In 1956, he received his Doctor of Dentistry degree from University of Buffalo. Upon graduation, he served in the officer program of the United States Air Force. They lived at Hunter AFB, Savannah Ga., while he served at the base dental clinic. They moved back to Portville in 1958 and lived here ever since. He set up his dental practice at 10 Temple Street in 1958, in a small brick office building built by his father. “Doc Harrison” served the Portville community for 45 years, retiring in 2003. Always active, he could be found most weekdays at the golf course at Bona’s. He will be remembered by the many friends he played with over the years. He never forgot a patient and always recognized them by their smile. He loved domestic travel as well as cruises abroad and they spent many winters in Daytona Beach Shores, FL, where he golfed and walked regularly. He and his wife were both members of the First Presbyterian Church of Portville for over 50 years. He was inducted into the Portville Hall of Fame in 2009. He is survived by his 4 children, Michael (Susan) Harrison, M.D., of Evansville, IN, Emily Woodhead, of Portville, Cathy Harrison, D.D.S., of Fairport, and Cindy (Terry) Keeley, also of Portville; 11 grandchildren, Audrey (John Mumford) Harrison, Evan Harrison, and Meredith Harrison, Carly (Josh) Painter, Alex (Nicole) Woodhead, Bizzy (Brad) Chaffee, and Kristin Woodhead, Ted (Brittany Sipp) Pfeffer and Margie (Jayson Fitch) Pfeffer, and twins, Emma and Anna Keeley; and 7 great grandchildren, Drake and Neleha Wiedemann, Avery and Oliver Woodhead, Evelyn and Isabelle Painter, and Bradley Wayne Chaffee. He is also survived by one sister, Winifred Childs, of Voorheesville, his wife’s brother-in-law, Mark Hannon, and two sisters-in-law, Elinor Wormer and Mary Ellen Wormer, and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was pre-deceased by his wife, Mary Lou Wormer Harrison, who passed November 7, 2016, and a sister, Lois Jennings of Wasilla, AK, who passed earlier this year. A private service will be held at Letro-McIntosh-Spink Funeral Home, Inc.,646 East State Street, Olean, for the family. Online condolences may be made at www.LetroMcIntoshSpinkFuneralHome.com. Memorials may be made to the Portville Historical and Preservation Society, P.O. Box 59, Portville, New York 14770 or to the First Presbyterian Church of Portville, P.O. Box 765, Portville, New York 14770.