John Harmon

John V. Harmon, 91, of Uhrichsville, O., passed away on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at the home of his daughter while surrounded by his loving family after an illness of three months.

Born September 30, 1918 in Walnut Creek, O., he was a son of the late Al Walter and Selma Mary (Drushel) Harmon.

John was a 1937 graduate of Sugarcreek-Shanesville High School where he earned four varsity awards in basketball, baseball, and track. He was also a graduate of Heidelberg College in the class of 1942, where he was affectionately known by his friends as “Kraut”, with dual majors in biological science and education. Before freshmen were eligible for varsity sports, he was a three-year letterman in football and basketball, and a two-year letterman in baseball. During his senior year, the baseball season was eliminated because of gasoline restrictions, due to World War II. John was elected President of the Heid Society in his senior year.

Following his graduation from Heidelberg, John enlisted in the United States Army and served from 1942 to 1946. He served in the European Theater with a rank of captain. He sustained serious injuries during the Battle of the Bulge as a light armor company commander and was hospitalized for eighteen months.

His graduate work included a M.S. from Case Western Reserve University in physical education in 1949. Additional post graduate work was done at Kent State University.

John’s professional career began at Dennison High School in 1946 as a science teacher and football, basketball, and golf coach. He later served as the High School Principal for a number of years. He also taught at Dover High School from 1963 to 1970 as a physical education teacher, golf coach, and intramural athletics supervisor. He concluded his career at Claymont High School from 1970 to 1980 as a physical education teacher, science teacher, basketball coach, and golf coach. He retired in 1980. A particular point of pride is the fact that John was the first golf coach to be inducted into the Ohio High School Golf Coaches Hall of Fame in 1981.

John moved back to Uhrichsville in 2009 after many years of residing in Florida with his wife, Kaye (Doolittle) Harmon.

He is survived by two daughters, Nanette (Alan) Hastings of Georgetown, Del., and Susan (Jim) Peters of Uhrichsville; seven grandchildren, Rachael (Jeremy) Isenhart of Milford, Del., Jon, Eric, and Heidi Hastings (companion, Ubaldo) of Georgetown, Del., Jimmy Peters (companion, Lindsey) and Kristin Peters of Upper Arlington, O., and Emily Peters of Uhrichsville; and three step-children, Nelson (Kathy) Terwilliger of Tallahassee, Fla., Mary (Jim) Judd of Easley, S.C., and Jim (Cindy) Terwilliger of Windsor, Co.

His aunts, Lula Richards of Walnut Creek and Flossie Lebold of Bolivar; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Mary Lou and Henry Deetz of Dover and Edward and Madelyn Arbogast of Cadillac Michigan; and special cousin, Arvada (Bob) Everhart of Sugarcreek, also survive him, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and step-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, John was preceded in death by three brothers, Sylvester, Wilson and the Rev. Prince Harmon, and his former spouse, Helen J. (Arbogast) Harmon.

John attended the First United Church of Christ in Sugarcreek and his community service activities included extensive work for his church, Gideon International Society, and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He was also a member of the American Legion’s Sugarcreek Post, the Garaway Senior Center where he actively participated in bingo and euchre, and the Uhrichsville Elks.

Services for John, officiated by Rev. Anissa Bacon, will be held on Saturday, August 14, at 1:00 p.m. in the R.K. Lindsey Funeral Home at Dennison. Interment will follow in Uhrichsville’s Union Cemetery.

Family and friends are invited to call at the funeral home from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday. Those wishing to honor John’s memory by a charitable contribution are encouraged to do so to the Claymont Foundation and Community Hospice (the former Hospice of Tuscarawas County).
R.K. Lindsey Funeral Home, Inc.
(740) 922-1970
www.lindseyfh.com