Robert L. Harwood | 1928 - 2015 | Obituary

Robert L. Harwood

September 25, 1928 - July 23, 2015

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U.S. VeteranRobert L. (Bob) Harwood, 86, of Danvers, retired Air Force Major, owner of a construction company, and youth sports coach who lived in the Washington area for more than 30 years, died July 23, 2015 after a lengthy illness.

Mr. Harwood, a resident of Potomac, Maryland from 1965 to 1996, was born in Quincy, Massachusetts on September 25, 1928, graduated from Milton High School in 1945 and married Claire Ramsay, of Watertown, Massachusetts in 1955. His beloved wife of 48 years pre-deceased him in 2003.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Franklin Andrews Harwood, who received 14 service medals in World War I, and his great-great-great grandfather, John Harwood, who served under General George Washington, Robert Harwood first attempted to join the military upon graduating high school in 1945 at age 16. Denied entry, he attended Brown University for a year and successfully enlisted into the US Army at age 17. After serving in occupied Japan, he returned to Brown University and graduated in 1950.

Robert Harwood joined the United States Air Force in 1951 as a Second Lieutenant and attained the rank of Major during his lengthy active and reserve duties over four decades. He served as an air traffic controller and ultimately as the Washington area student admission liaison officer to the Air Force Academy, retiring in 1989.

While in the Air Force Reserve, Mr. Harwood was a sales executive for a series of Washington area construction companies, eventually starting his own business in the 1980s. Capitalizing on the need for more flexible spaces, Harwood and Associates, Inc. specialized in movable partitions for schools, churches, and office conference rooms.

A long-time Washington area volunteer youth basketball and baseball coach, primarily for the YMCA and Farmland Athletic Association, Mr. Harwood continued to coach Rockville pre-teens for many years even after his own sons grew older.

In 1996, the Harwood’s moved to Naples, Florida where they enjoyed trips to visit family and friends and travels around Europe before Mr. Harwood moved back to Massachusetts in 2012. While in Naples, Robert served as a deacon for the Moorings Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Harwood is survived by four children, Michael (and Kathleen) Harwood of Apex, NC, Alan (and Sandy) Harwood of Alexandria, VA, Diane (and Michael) Walker of Reading, MA, and Gary (and Deb) Harwood of Albany, NY, and his grandchildren Blake, Jonathan, Nathan, Emma, Joseph, Jack and Erika. His 3-year old daughter, Robin, died in 1962. He is survived by a niece and a nephew and pre-deceased by his sister, Edith Smith and brother, Franklin.

Relatives and friends are invited to a memorial service on Saturday, August 8, 2015 at 11:00 am at the Chapel at Newton Cemetery, 791 Walnut Street, Newton, Ma followed by a graveside internment with Military Honors. A remembrance luncheon will follow the service and all are invited to share stories and celebrate his life. In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Donor Services, P. O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202 or www.lls.org. For online guest book and directions, contact www.johndouglassfuneralhome.com.

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