Alvin Norris Harbour, Jr.

     The Rev. Dr. Alvin Norris Harbour, Jr., 77, of Eufaula, Alabama, passed away on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at Henry County Health and Rehab in Abbeville, Alabama, after a long, courageous battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

     Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 1:00 PM, at First United Methodist Church of Eufaula with Rev. Matt Avera officiating.  Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery Addition with Chapman Funeral Home directing.  The visitation will be held prior to the service from Noon until 1 PM at the church.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the First United Methodist Church of Eufaula or the Alzheimer’s Association Alabama Chapter Birmingham.

     Born November 25, 1947, in Meridian, Mississippi, Dr. Harbour was the son of the late Alvin “Norris” Harbour, Sr. and Agnes Aunita Brown.  He was a graduate of Davidson High School in Mobile, Alabama, Class of 1965.  He attended the University of South Alabama in Mobile, graduating with a B.A. in History and Philosophy in 1969.  He attended and received his Master of Divinity from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, in 1972.  He also attended Emory University, Candler School of Theology, in Atlanta, Georgia, graduating with his Doctor of Ministry in 1986.

     Dr. Harbour was an elder in the Alabama-West Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church.  He has served churches in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina; Satsuma, Alabama; Dothan, Alabama; Bonifay, Florida; Mobile, Alabama; Port St. Joe, Florida; Crestview, Florida; Selma, Alabama; Eufaula, Alabama; Echo, Alabama; and Abbeville, Alabama.

     Dr. Harbour was past secretary of the Alabama-West Florida Conference Board of Ordained Ministry.  He was a member of the AWFC Board of Missions, Montgomery – Opelika District Committee on Ministry and  Superintendency.  He also served as a Supervising Pastor, Counseling Elder and Mentor.

     Since 1979, Dr. Harbour has taught biblical studies and spiritual growth studies in many local church, district, conference and jurisdictional events. He has been a study leader in Schools of Christian Mission in the Tennessee, Holston, Mississippi, Florida, Western North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Alabama-West Florida Conferences.  He was a Regional School study leader in 2006 and 2007.

     Dr. Harbour volunteered in the Barbour Country and Eufaula City Public Schools.  He was an advocate and promoted funding efforts for the improvement of public education locally, in the state of Alabama and nationally.  He also taught the Old Testament, New Testament and Humanities at Wallace Community College, Sparks Campus in Eufaula and Wallace Community College in Dothan. 

     Dr. Harbour was a volunteer with the American Cancer Society and Barbour County Relay for Life.  He was selected as the “American Cancer Society Mid-South Division Volunteer of the Year” for 2003-2004.  In September 2006, he was an ambassador representing Alabama at the “Celebration on the Hill”, the American Cancer Society’s quadrennial event in Washington, D.C.  He was also a member of the Board of Pastoral Care at UAB Hospital in Birmingham.  He was also active in Hospice work.  He was an advocate and volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association and resource centers in many of the cities of the churches he served through the years.  This was especially close to his heart with his father also passing away from Alzheimer’s Disease.

     Dr. Harbour was a loving husband, father and grandfather.  His passion was the care of others in his family, churches and in the communities that he served.  Whether it was births, baptisms, weddings, hospital care or at the end of life, he was always there for those that needed him.  Dr. Harbour was an avid Duke University basketball fan.  He enjoyed watching the games and made sure his daughters were Duke fans from an early age.  He always wore his Duke tie proudly to Sunday morning worship services after a Duke win.

     Survivors include his wife, Lila Finch Harbour, and his daughters:  Beth (Rob) Pongonis and Lyndsay (Clay) Steed; 5 grandchildren:  Jackson Steed, Alex Pongonis, Peyton Steed, Andy Pongonis and Scout Pongonis; 1 brother: Michael (Ann) Harbour.

     Our family would like to thank Fellowship Home at Cotton Hill and Georgia Care Hospice in Cuthbert, GA, and Henry County Health and Rehab and Gentiva Hospice in Abbeville, AL, for the care they provided.

     Active pallbearers will be Rob Pongonis, Alex Pongonis, Andy Pongonis, Clay Steed, Jackson Steed and Peyton Steed.

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