E. J. Harrison, Trash Company Owner, Dies

E. J. Harrison, the owner of Ventura County’s largest trash company, has died after a long illness. He was 82.

Harrison, who died in a Ventura hospital Friday, founded E.J. Harrison and Sons Rubbish Service in 1932.

The company has exclusive rights to haul trash in four cities in the county--Ventura, Ojai, Camarillo and Fillmore. It shares business in Thousand Oaks with two other companies. More recently, the company began to work with the cities to help implement recycling programs, spending more than $200,000 to buy recycling barrels and to upgrade equipment.

Harrison also owned Ventura Rubbish Service and stock in several other trash companies.

A native of Idaho, Harrison lived in the county for 63 years.

He was active in the Ventura Moose Lodge, the Elks Lodge, the Ventura County Historical Society and the Ventura County Chapter of the American Heart Assn. He also participated in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America and Little League.

He is survived by his wife, Myra; a daughter and three sons; 20 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren. Other surviving family members include a brother, three sisters and a sister-in-law.

Viewing hours will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home in Ventura.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Burial will follow in Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura.