Harry Hairston Jr., a Korean War veteran, longtime Pittsburgh resident, and proud patriarch of a family deeply rooted in service and storytelling, passed away peacefully on his 95th birthday, July 11, 2025. Born in 1930 in Nuriva, West Virginia, he came of age in a small Appalachian coal town during an era of segregation and hardship, but his life would stretch across nearly a century of extraordinary personal and social transformation.
Hairston was the son of Harry and Bertha Hairston Sr., and from a young age, he was known for his quiet strength, sharp mind, and love of sports. At Kimball High School in southern West Virginia, he excelled in athletics, particularly football and baseball. Among friends and classmates, he earned the nickname “Chip,” while his mother affectionately called him “June-bug,” since he was a Jr. to his father Harry Hairston Sr. That nickname would stick with him throughout his life and become a term of endearment among his many nieces and nephews, who knew him as “Uncle June.”
After high school, Hairston pursued higher education at Bluefield State University, one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that provided critical pathways for Black students in the segregated South. His education was interrupted by the call to service during the Korean War, when he left to join the U.S. Army. Like many of his generation, he served with humility and without fanfare, returning home with a renewed sense of purpose.
Shortly after his military service, he married Betty Jean Hairston, his partner for nearly seven decades. The couple settled in Pittsburgh in the mid-1950s, becoming part of the growing Black middle class that helped reshape the city’s neighborhoods, churches, and civic life. Together they raised two sons in a home defined by love, discipline, and the values of hard work and integrity.
“He would do anything for anyone, and he would always tell me, as young as when I was 12 years old, ‘Whoever you meet in life, you give them 100 percent respect. They’ll show you what they don’t want, but you give them 100 percent respect,’” said his son, Harry Hairston III.
“The only time he would get angry was if he thought someone was disrespecting him and his family, and but he was the kind of guy who would just call you and tell you ‘No. I’m not going to have that. That’s not right.’ And I never heard my father use foul language. The only way you could tell if he was really mad was if he said ‘Good day.’ That was his equivalent of the f-bomb.”
Hairston began a career at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Highland Park, where he worked for more than 30 years. Over the course of his service, he rose to the position of supervisor, overseeing staff and supporting the health needs of fellow veterans. He was known by colleagues for his even temper, his attention to detail, and his deep commitment to both patients and staff.
After retiring, Hairston took full advantage of the opportunity to travel, visiting Spain, England, France, and Italy – a first-class experience provided to him by Harry Hairston III and his wife. Those trips reflected his lifelong curiosity and love of learning—traits he passed on to his children and grandchildren. But even in retirement, he remained deeply rooted in his Pittsburgh community, often tending his garden, reading voraciously, and hosting spirited card games and Monopoly matches with friends and family.
“His legacy is defined by him being a very straight, stand-up father and husband, dedicated to service. He instilled in us that throughout life that there are no shortcuts. At a very young age, he guided us away from him some of the pitfalls that you may run into as a kid,” Hairston III said.
“And he made sure that we stayed on the straight-and-narrow path, and he made sure that we were involved in activities that kept us from getting into bad company – getting with the wrong crowd where there’s a possibility of drugs and mischief that turns into a crime that puts you into a system. He was that kind of man where he just laid that out for us to make sure that we knew right and we knew what to do. And it wasn’t just because he said so, but so that we would understand and choose the right thing to do.”
His life of steady service and moral clarity was mirrored, in many ways, by the professional path of his son, Harry Hairston III. The older of the Hairston sons became an award-winning investigative television journalist, with a career spanning more than 40 years in Erie, PA; Tampa, FL; and extensive stints in both Detroit and Philadelphia. Known for his probing reports on government accountability, consumer protection, and civil rights, he carried forward the values instilled in him by his father—fairness, courage, and a relentless pursuit of truth— which led to win multiple Emmy Awards, and a national Edward R. Murrow award among dozens of other journalistic accomplishments.
Glenn Hairston, the other son of Harry and Betty Hairston, has built a distinguished career in law enforcement, national security, and public service with decades of experience spanning federal and local agencies. Through his company, Specialist Defensive Training LLC, he provides lectures, consultations, training videos, and customized programs for corporations, businesses, law enforcement agencies, and military organizations. Hairston’s extensive background includes roles in federal and local law enforcement, executive protection, corporate and aircraft security, and over 20 years as an undercover narcotics detective. With over 50 years of martial arts training across Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Okinawan disciplines, his skill set is both broad and deeply rooted. Hairston has trained personnel from law enforcement academies, the U.S. military, and private security institutions nationwide. Beyond his work in security, he also lends his expertise to the film industry as a consultant and actor, with appearances in productions such as The Silence of the Lambs, Blood and Bone, The Ministry, and Another Lonely Road. Glenn’s work reflects the values instilled in him by his father—integrity, service, and a steadfast belief in doing what’s right.
Although he never sought the spotlight, Harry Hairston Jr. was the kind of man who made a lasting impact through consistency, care, and community. He was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, and a steady presence in the lives of those fortunate enough to know him.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Betty, his parents, his brother James Hairston, and his sister Leona Boyd. He leaves behind two sons: Harry (Ruth) Hairston III and Glenn (Maria) Hairston; four grandchildren—Indea E. Herndon, Alexzandra K. Hairston, Chantal Whitehead-Scott, and Matthew Herndon; two great-grandchildren; and a wide circle of nieces, nephews, and extended family.
Visitation took place on Thursday, July 17, at John A. Freyvogel Sons, while a Mass of Christian Burial was held Friday, July 18, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh.
Memorial contributions or the planting of trees in his honor can be arranged through the funeral home.
“I hope they take away the legacy of hard worker. Whatever he needed to do, he just quietly did it. He never complained about it. He never bragged or boasted about it,” Harry Hairston III said.
“I remember when my dad said all that glitters is not gold, and he gave the analogy of one of our neighbors who had a nice-looking car with whitewall tires and a shiny, custom paint job, but the engine was bad. Then he showed us another car that wasn’t in the best shape, but it had solid tires, a good engine, and good brakes. He said that looking good for the sake of good look wasn’t a good thing. So, I never let success define me. That’s what he taught me.”
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