Charles Bennett HARMON

HARMON, Charles Bennett, 91, of Mechanicsville, Va., passed from this life on October 31, 2009. He was the son of the late Charles Barry Harmon and the late Emma Melton Harmon. He was born on June 28, 1918 and was a lifelong resident of the Richmond area. Mr. Harmon was a graduate of John Marshall High School. At the age of 16, he won the Richmond City Junior Tennis Championship in doubles. He bought his first investment rental property at the age of 18. Mr. Harmon was a Navy veteran of World War II. He was a general contractor in Richmond for 30 years. He was a 52-year member of Fairmount Memorial Baptist Church, where he taught a Sunday school class for 20 years. Mr. Harmon was a member and past president of the East Gate Lions Club, served on the board of directors of the Glen Lea Babe Ruth League, was a member and past president of the Mechanicsville Pike Businessmen's Association, was a member of the Izaak Walton League of America, and was a 61-year member of Richmond Randolph Lodge #19 AF&AM, ACCA Temple Shrine, and the Scottish Rite Bodies. Mr. Harmon was also the grandson of a Confederate veteran. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Marian Lowry Harmon; his daughter, Bette J. Harmon; and his sister, Emily H. Strange. He is survived by two sons, W. Barry Harmon and his wife, Linda, of Richmond and C. Rady Harmon of Mechanicsville; one daughter, Janet H. Dunnevant of Mechanicsville; four sisters, Geraldine H. Jordan of Escanaba, Mich. and Casa Grande, Ariz., Audrey H. Mayo of Venice, Fla., Mary H. Adkins and Ann H. Ring, both of Mechanicsville; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. His remains rest at Bennett Funeral Home, 8014 Lee-Davis Road, Mechanicsville, where the family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday at Fairmount Memorial Baptist Church, 4205 Ravenswood Road, Richmond, Va. 23222. Interment will follow at Washington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Fairmount Memorial Baptist Church or to a charity of one's choice.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.