Roger Eugene Harmon

Roger Eugene Harmon

On October 26, 2025, Roger Eugene Harmon left us on his last journey, surrounded by loved ones at home after a short illness.

Roger was born July 23, 1942, in Greensburg, Kansas, to Paul and Uila Harmon, the second of three children. He loved his small-town upbringing, where he gained his strong sense of integrity from the values of family farmers, teachers, coaches and Scout leaders. Roger's curiosity about people led him to engage with everyone he encountered. He lovingly lived this quote by family therapist Virginia Satir: "In our similarities we connect; in our differences we grow."

JJoining the US Peace Corps and serving in Malawi, Africa, in the mid-1960s set him on a lifelong exploration of the world's people and cultures. He earned a PhD in cultural anthropology from University of Washington, doing field work on Buddhism in Thailand and becoming fluent in Thai. He returned to Asia through the US State Department's International Office on Migration to help create and oversee post-Vietnam War programs in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines to prepare young refugees for the US educational system. Always honoring Peace Corps' mission, he served as Training Director for volunteers in Thailand, Central Asia and Eritrea in the late 1990s. Newly married to Nancy, he became Country Director in Thailand from 2000-2003. In 2006, Roger established his own travel business, Worldviews 2000. Often along with Nancy, he led more than 30 small groups of travelers through SE Asia, Bhutan, Central Asia and the lagoons of Baja, always demonstrating how to engage the people with curiosity, laughter and joy, whether in a temple, rice field or fishing boat.

Roger's called Albuquerque home for 30 years. He loved the beauty and light of NM and delighted in creating photo cards from his rich photo images of nature and people around the world and sharing them wherever he went. He valued personal growth work and connection through several men's groups, including NM Men's Wellness. His proudest achievement sustained him the last 45 years meeting a newly-arrived Laotian refugee family in Seattle and nurturing a chosen family of "spirit" children and now grandchildren.

Roger is beautifully captured in the poem of a friend of 65 years in Thailand:

To Roger, every person held a story worth hearing.

Every culture was a lesson,

every encounter a bridge.

He believed connection was the truest kind of wealth, and he shared it freely.

His celebration of life will be held in May at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Albuquerque.

Roger is survived by his wife, Nancy Warnock Harmon of Albuquerque, NM; his chosen "spirit" families in California, Tron, Ari, Kavi Knik,Noi Keokitvon and Pinh Brown, Milton Brown and Amber Brown. He is preceded in death by sister Carolyn Hansen and brother Terry Harmon.

Donations in his name may be sent to:

Partners in Health

PO Box 996

Frederick, MD 21705-0996