William ‘Bill’ Bernard Harrison Jr., Visionary Publisher and Co-founder of El Chicano and IECN, Passes Away at 81

William “Bill” Bernard Harrison, Jr. has passed away at the age of 81. Bill was born July 8, 1942, in Warren, Ohio to William B. Harrison, Sr., and Frances Patterson Harrison. He died on Saturday, September 23, 2023, surrounded by family after bravely battling Alzheimer’s.

Bill is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gloria Macias Harrison; his son, William D. Harrison and daughter-in-law, Lisa; his grandson William “Kai” A. Harrison; his granddaughter Gabriella “Jes” R. Harrison, and several nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his parents and his daughter Diana Gloria Harrison.

Bill was a proud 1960 graduate of San Bernardino High School. He went on to study at San Bernardino Valley College and UCLA. While working full-time, he earned his BS in Political Science at UCR in 1965.

To support Bill’s great belief in and support of education, the William B. Harrison Scholarship is being established for a continuing student at San Bernardino Valley College who is juggling both education and work.

Bill was the Co-founder and Publisher of El Chicano, which he and Gloria started in 1969. The enterprise grew into Inland Empire Community Newspapers (IECN), focusing on local community news through these local community newspapers: El Chicano, the Colton Courier, the Rialto Record, and the Inland Empire Weekly. Bill was also President of CCRR Publishing Company, which included The Sun Group of newspapers in North San Diego County.

Private services will be held at a later date.