Wayland Harris, Sr. was born May 30, 1932 to Benjamin Harris and Bernice Ingram in Chicago, Illinois. He had five siblings. He accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized. In 1976, he relocated to Fort Worth, Texas. He attended Tarrant County Junior College. He was united in holy matrimony with Vermita Harris, and together they had three children. He was a member of Mayfield Missionary Baptist Church, where he was the president of the male chorus. He was also a member of the NAACP. He loved football and was a loyal Dallas Cowboys fan.

He was preceded in death by: wife, Verita Harris; parents, Benjamin Harris and Bernice Ingram; brother, Isaiah Harris; and sisters, Bertha and Jeri Harris.

He left behind to cherish his memory: children; Wayland Harris, Jr. (Linda), Erwin Eugene Harris (Sharon) and Jeannie Lester (Fred); siblings, Donald Harris and Demetrius Jackson; and a host of grandkids, great-grandkids, relatives, and friends.