Jonathan L. Harmon Sr.

Jonathan Pitman Harmon was born on January 16, 1926 in Pleebo, Maryland County, Liberia, the first child of the Reverend Randolph Winham Harmon and Etta Hardy Harmon. Jonathan changed his middle name to “Leofred” as a young adult. His parents had another child, Vicky Harmon, who died at the age of three. Jonathan’s mother, Etta Hardy, died when he was four years old. His father remarried Elsie Jackson Harmon and the union produced eight children Rosalind Harmon Horace (deceased), Charlotte Harmon, James Harmon, Willamina “Lady” Harmon (deceased), Malvenia Harmon, Randolph Harmon aka Boy (Massa), Kotati Harmon Butler aka Girl, Hillary Lafayette Harmon (Jr.). After his father’s remarriage, Jonathan was sent to live with his grandparents, James Pitman Harmon and Charlotte Beatrice Gibson Harmon. His grandparents also cared for other family members, including his sister Rosalind Harmon Horace and his cous in Josephine Harmon Gray. He was also cared for by his aunt Catherine Harmon Cummings and his uncle Joseph Pitman Harmon I. As a young boy, Jonathan attended Cape Palmas High School (CPHS). He was a bright student and had a passion for learning, building things and engaging in entrepreneurship. In his free time, he built small motorized boats and planes and even got the plane to fly. He wired his room with electricity, even though there was no electricity in Pleebo at the time. He started his own neighborhood bicycle repair business and fixed bikes for five cents; he also rented out his bike for rides at two cents per ride. Always by his side during all of these activities, were his many pets including his dogs, cats and pet monkey, Jacko. His inventiveness remained with him through his adulthood. He designed and patented in July 2002 in the US Patent Office, a motorized temperature-controlled shoe storage device. At the age of fifteen, Jonathan started working for Firestone Rubber Company in the summers. He completed his education at Booker T. Washington Institute (BWI), a boarding school in Kakata, Liberia. During the years following his graduation from high school, he had a son, Cecil B. Harmon. A few years later, he got a scholarship to attend college in the United States at Tuskegee University where he completed his studies as an Electrical Engineer. Jonathan socialized with other Liberians at the University including Mr. Edwin Morgan, his life-long friend. One day in the cafeteria, he met a young African American girl, Lottie Bernice Carter. The couple married on December 21, 1957 shortly after graduation, lived in New York for three years, and moved to Liberia in 1960. During the three years he lived in New York, his cousin Emmett Harmon provided the funding for him to attend Syracuse University to study air conditioning systems. Jonathan worked for the Liberian Public Utility Company later called Liberia Electric Company (LEC) as the outstation manager responsible for rural electrification for over 20 years. He lived and worked in various counties across Liberia, including Buchanan, Grand Gedeh, Maryland, and Sinoe. The couple raised three children Cecelia, Jonathan, Jr. and Pearl. He has a host of grandchildren, including Sammy T. Harmon, Einsteina Harmon Williams, Stacy Harmon, Angel Harmon, and Sekani Harmon; he has thirteen (13) great grandchildren. 2 Obituary Jonathan Leofred Harmon Sr: The Mind the Man and the Mischief Jonathan Pitman Harmon was born on January 16, 1926 in Pleebo, Maryland County, Liberia, the first child of the Reverend Randolph Winham Harmon and Etta Hardy Harmon. Jonathan changed his middle name to “Leofred” as a young adult. His parents had another child, Vicky Harmon, who died at the age of three. Jonathan’s mother, Etta Hardy, died when he was four years old. His father remarried Elsie Jackson Harmon and the union produced eight children Rosalind Harmon Horace (deceased), Charlotte Harmon, James Harmon, Willamina “Lady” Harmon (deceased), Malvenia Harmon, Randolph Harmon aka Boy (Massa), Kotati Harmon Butler aka Girl, Hillary Lafayette Harmon (Jr.). After his father’s remarriage, Jonathan was sent to live with his grandparents, James Pitman Harmon and Charlotte Beatrice Gibson Harmon. His grandparents also cared for other family members, including his sister Rosalind Harmon Horace and his cous in Josephine Harmon Gray. He was also cared for by his aunt Catherine Harmon Cummings and his uncle Joseph Pitman Harmon I. As a young boy, Jonathan attended Cape Palmas High School (CPHS). He was a bright student and had a passion for learning, building things and engaging in entrepreneurship. In his free time, he built small motorized boats and planes and even got the plane to fly. He wired his room with electricity, even though there was no electricity in Pleebo at the time. He started his own neighborhood bicycle repair business and fixed bikes for five cents; he also rented out his bike for rides at two cents per ride. Always by his side during all of these activities, were his many pets including his dogs, cats and pet monkey, Jacko. His inventiveness remained with him through his adulthood. He designed and patented in July 2002 in the US Patent Office, a motorized temperature-controlled shoe storage device. At the age of fifteen, Jonathan started working for Firestone Rubber Company in the summers. He completed his education at Booker T. Washington Institute (BWI), a boarding school in Kakata, Liberia. During the years following his graduation from high school, he had a son, Cecil B. Harmon. A few years later, he got a scholarship to attend college in the United States at Tuskegee University where he completed his studies as an Electrical Engineer. Jonathan socialized with other Liberians at the University including Mr. Edwin Morgan, his life-long friend. One day in the cafeteria, he met a young African American girl, Lottie Bernice Carter. The couple married on December 21, 1957 shortly after graduation, lived in New York for three years, and moved to Liberia in 1960. During the three years he lived in New York, his cousin Emmett Harmon provided the funding for him to attend Syracuse University to study air conditioning systems. Jonathan worked for the Liberian Public Utility Company later called Liberia Electric Company (LEC) as the outstation manager responsible for rural electrification for over 20 years. He lived and worked in various counties across Liberia, including Buchanan, Grand Gedeh, Maryland, and Sinoe. The couple raised three children Cecelia, Jonathan, Jr. and Pearl. He has a host of grandchildren, including Sammy T. Harmon, Einsteina Harmon Williams, Stacy Harmon, Angel Harmon, and Sekani Harmon; he has thirteen (13) great grandchildren. 3 Alongside his professional endeavors which included traveling abroad to get funding for LEC and other development projects in Liberia, he continued his entrepreneurial interests; he had a thriving real estate business renting residential and commercial sites to others. At the end of his tenure at LEC, he joined the Libera Opportunity Industrialization Center (LOIC) as Executive Director and was able to secure over a million dollars in funding to build satellite LOIC centers throughout Liberia. He served his community in various capacities, including Board Member for Isaac A. David Sr. Memorial School and Senior Warden at St. Stephens Episcopal Church. Jonathan enjoyed spending time with his children and the kids in the neighborhood; he made kites and flew them, taught them how to ride bikes, and watched musicals and other classical movies with them. His love for animals continued into adulthood. He brought dogs, cats, and would even adopt stray animals from the neighborhood. The most famous of all the pets was JoJo, the chimpanzee, who was the king of the backyard. He purchased two chimps–one for the family and the other he gave to the DeShields. Jonathan would allow JoJo to come into the house to watch TV with everyone, and frequently groomed dad's hair. It is not surprising that Christmas was his favorite time of the year as he got to do all of his favorite things– buying electric toys, putting trains together, installing a large live tree outdoors, trimming the entire house with lights, erecting a blowup Santa, and playing Christmas Music. In fact, music was a constant within the home. He e enjoyed keeping up with and playing the latest music on his sound system–African, American, classical, and pop. Life continued in this manner until it was abruptly interrupted in April 1980 when the Liberian president was assassinated in a military coup. As a result, the kids were sent to live in the USA with family and the couple followed in 1990 and settled in Jamaica, Queens. Jonathan continued to work hard and make a life for himself and his family. They reconnected with family–his sisters in Philadelphia and brother in Texas and would gather for the holidays and family reunions. Two of the children moved to Maryland in the late 90’s (Cecelia and Pearl) and the others lived in Ohio (Jonathan, Jr.) and Norfolk (Cecil). The couple remained in New York until 2011 when they relocated to Maryland because his wife started to experience symptoms of Alzheimer’s. In Maryland, they continued to enjoy a pleasant life. Jonathan enjoyed a very comfortable life working, socializing with family and friends and traveling around the world. After a brief illness, Jonathan Leofred Harmon peacefully transitioned on Friday, November 18, 2022, surrounded by family. He brought joy to everyone who knew him regardless of their status. He will be deeply missed, and we will remember fondly all of the many humorous moments.

Tributes

Jonathan L. Harmon Sr.

January 16, 1930 - November 18, 2022