Mr. Thomas Albert Harmon

Tom Harmon was born on March 27, 1939 in Belleville, Pennsylvania, to Louis Albert ‘Ab’ Harmon and Ruby Inez Faith Smoker. He was the oldest child of Albert and Ruby Harmon’s four children. He loved his childhood growing up there and in nearby Allensville, in a beautiful valley known as Kishicoquillas Valley, or ‘Big’ Valley. He remained proud of his home throughout his life. Tom always met challenges head on. At the age of five, his underdeveloped leg was amputated for which he spent a year in the hospital, only seeing his mother once a month. This experience formed him into a person we admire for his strength, independence, and compassion for others. Tom graduated from Menno Union High School and from Penn State University. At Penn State, he was active in the Wesley Foundation, where he made life-long friends. At a Methodist college conference, Tom decided to seek short-term service with the Methodist Mission. He was assigned to Seoul, South Korea where he served as mission office treasurer. During his time in Korea, he also worked with college students reclaiming farm land for a leper colony. In August 1965, Tom met Lois Jean Suttie who had arrived in Seoul to serve three years with the Presbyterian Mission. On July 9, 1966, Tom and Lois were married in Korea. After completing his service with the mission, Tom took a position with the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). Tom had a long and productive career with AAFES in Korea, Virginia, and Texas and retired as Director of Personnel and on the Exchange Board. Tom travelled quite a bit during his thirty-year career at AAFES and he claimed to have visited every Army base in the world with an Exchange Store, or PX. Tom was an active, dedicated member and three-time elder at First Presbyterian Church of Duncanville, Texas, where they lived for 32 years. Upon fully retiring and moving to Columbia in 2014, Tom became a member of Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC. Tom was also an active and enthusiastic Rotarian in both Duncanville, TX and Columbia, SC, becoming a Paul Harris Fellow. With Rotary, Tom dedicated much of his efforts through the Wheelchair Foundation for which he raised money to purchase and donate wheelchairs to Mexico and Korea, delivering them to those countries. Tom also helped administer the polio vaccine to children in Africa. He also enjoyed travelling with Lois, visiting many places including California, Alaska, a number of National Parks, Great Britain, Italy and Australia. Tom organized and led reunions of his high school in Pennsylvania as well as talked friends into visiting his hometown valley. Tom is survived by his wife of 58 years, Lois; three children: Mark Harmon (Amanda) of Columbia, Marilyn Dillon (Brent) of Columbia, Benjy Harmon (Amy) of Chesapeake, VA; nine grandchildren and one great-grandson. Tom is also survived by a sister, Jeanne Lerch of Middleburg, PA. Tom is preceded in death by his parents and his sister Brenda Freed and his brother Fern Harmon. He was a loving husband and a wonderful father and grandfather; a person who brought fun and spontaneity to family gatherings. Tom made friends easily and kept them throughout his life; he remained connected and loyal to all the communities and people from every phase of his life. He enjoyed time with friends and family in his later years. We thank God for Tom. The family would like to thank his many caregivers as well as the staff at Life Care Center of Columbia, Prisma Baptist Hospital and the Prisma Hospice Team for their kind care of Tom and the family. The memorial service for Mr. Harmon will be held at 2 o’clock, Saturday, February 8th, at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church, 125 Sparkleberry Ln, Columbia, SC with Rev. Dr. Jack Heinsohn officiating. A reception for guests will immediately follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be given to Spring Valley Presbyterian Church designated for Backpack Program. Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.

Tributes

Mr. Thomas Albert Harmon

March 27, 1939 - January 31, 2025