ASHLAND — Bill Harris, former president of the Ohio Senate and an Ashland resident, died Monday morning.

Harris was 83. He served as president of the Ohio Senate from 2005 to 2010.

“Former Senate President Bill Harris was a beloved and respected member of our Senate family,” said Larry Obhof (R-Medina), the current Senate President. “A humble public servant, Bill represented the best of Ohio. He served his country first on the battlefields as a Marine before coming home to build a business and invest in the people and the communities he later represented in the Ohio House and Senate.

“His devotion to his family, his authentic faith and his genuine interest in his fellow Ohioans garnered respect by all who knew him. On behalf of my colleagues, I extend our deepest condolences to the Harris family. His legacy of service and honor will forever be remembered in his hometown of Ashland and in the halls of the Ohio Statehouse.”

Harris was a man of the nation. He was a Tennessee native who earned a degree in secondary education from the University of Arizona. He was a veteran of two wars. He was a U.S. Marine who worked as a machine gunner and a platoon commander in Korea.

He then added two tours in Vietnam, specializing in intelligence.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine issued the following statement:

“Fran and I are very saddened by the news that former Ohio Senate President Bill Harris has died. Bill was a true servant leader who served his country as a Marine and as a legislator, as well as a successful businessman. Fran and I offer our sincerest condolences to Bill’s family and friends.”

After leaving the service, Harris moved to Ashland and began his career as an auto dealer for Chevrolet and General Motors vehicles.

In 1995 he entered politics with the Republican party and won an open seat in the Ohio House of Representatives. In 1997 Harris served as majority whip of the House.

“Today we mourn the passing of a great Ohioan. Bill Harris was a man of principle and one of the most decent people I have ever known who dedicated much of his life to serving others,” said Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted. “Having served alongside Bill during his tenure as Senate President and mine as Speaker of the House, we had a great working relationship focused on getting the job done.

“Losing Bill is a sad day for me, but he was a man of strong faith who is now joined with his beloved wife Kay for eternity. Tina and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Harris family.”