After a tenacious struggle with a long illness, Sidney Alston “Nick” Harrison, 84, died at his home in Cullman in the early morning hours of Monday, Feb. 2, 2009. Born Sept. 9, 1924, in Abingdon, Va., the son of Robert Peyton Harrison Jr. MD and Sidney Yancy West Harrison, he was educated in the Virginia public schools. A lifelong lover of fast vehicles of all kinds, Mr. Harrison performed with the circus on a motorcycle as a 14-year old, and was common sight on the roads of Southwestern Virginia traveling at high speed on his beloved Indian Motorcycle Chief. At the outbreak of World War II he was accepted into the Army Air Corps pilot training program, but due to color blindness could not then earn his wings. He served throughout the European Theater of Operations at Anzio, in the invasion at Normandy, and at the Battle of the Bulge. When the war was over, he came home and enrolled in the University of Tennessee, where he went out for football. In 1947, he met Jean Hopkins, the love of his life, because he was assigned to sit next to her in a UT English class. Declaring that he must have her. Nick launched a whirlwind courtship that culminated weeks later in their marriage. He was an honorary member of the University of Tennessee Letterman Club, and because of his undying devotion to the University, he was one of their biggest boosters, holding UT football season’s tickets for over 40 years. Called out of school to serve in the Korean War as a National Guardsman, he was sent to Korea for a tour of duty where he attained the rank of Sergeant First Class — a tank commander in the 17th Infantry Regimental Combat Team.

Upon his return to civilian life Mr. Harrison completed his bachelor’s degree in transportation at the University of Tennessee. Learning the business from the bottom up, he started out as a dock worker for Wilson Truck Lines in Nashville, and soon advanced to become assistant claim agent at Southeastern Motor Freight Lines. After a series of positions of ever-increasing responsibility in places such as Lubbock, Texas, and Springfield, Ill., he became general manager of Tompkins Motor Lines in Atlanta. In 1963, Mr. Harrison seized an opportunity to purchase Adkins Motor Lines in Nashville. Known as a tough businessman and negotiator, Mr. Harrison went toe-to-toe with the Teamsters Union on numerous occasions. In a memorable mid-1960s encounter with then Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa, Mr. Harrison successfully resisted the imposition of the standard union contract to which all other owners had succumbed. Several years later a company in North Carolina purchased Adkins, and Nick was able to take up his life long dream of flying. He became a licensed aircraft pilot and started his own charter and aircraft sales company. Mr. Harrison was an accomplished pilot and acrobat capable of delivering a plane to a customer in Afghanistan, and of flying his plane through the St. Louis Gateway Arch.

He returned to the trucking industry in 1979 when he became a consultant for R.E. Garrison Trucking, Inc. in Cullman. When the original owners of the company decided to retire, he along with several others decided to purchase the company. He retired from Garrison in 1995.

He was a member of Richland Country Club in Nashville for 12 years and has been a member of Terri Pines Country Club for 33 years. A first rate golfer and card player, Nick was a tough and ruthless competitor and inveterate winner of whatever game he turned his hand to.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and siblings, Lewis Hullum Harrison, Caroline Glover Harrison Smith, Robert Peyton Harrison III, Charles Floyd Harrison, Nathan Luce Harrison and Robert Bruce Carson Harrison.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 62 years, Jean Hopkins Harrison; two daughters, Karen Lane Harrison and Patricia (Richard B. O’Keeffe, Jr.) Harrison MD; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009, at First Presbyterian Church in Cullman, the Rev. Terry Tingle officiating. The cremains will be interred in Spring Hill Cemetery in Nashville.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to First Presbyterian Church or the Omega Hospice in Cullman.

Visitation will be 1 to 2 p.m.

Nick Harrison “lived fast, played hard, loved well.”