Linda R. Harmon

Linda Ruth Harmon, 77, of Marlborough, Connecticut, died of COVID-19, September 3, 2021, following a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. Creative and independent, Linda left her childhood home in New Jersey right after high school and moved with a girlfriend to New York City. Linda's executive skills lead her to a series of office management jobs, most of them in the Broadway theater district. In 1981, Linda and her husband, Albert Harmon, moved to Connecticut. There, Linda worked for several nonprofit arts organizations, eventually becoming the development director of the Greater Hartford Arts Council and, years later, retired as the director of development at the Glastonbury Art Guild. Linda was a former member of the Marlborough Library board of directors and helped to raise funds for the existing library building. Books were important to Linda. She, herself, was an accomplished writer, having won the prestigious Golden Heart Award from Romance Writers of America (RWA) for the best time travel manuscript by an unpublished writer. For several years, Linda served as president of the Connecticut chapter of RWA. Not only was Linda a talented writer, she was also an accomplished pianist. The piano in the home she and Albert shared was not for show. Friends joked that it was hard for her to walk past the piano and not pause to play a song or two. She knew the lyrics of every Broadway hit song and would often sing the answer to a friend's question. Despite her illness, Linda remained positive. Even when Parkinson's made it difficult for her to speak, she never lost her quick wit or sense of humor. Linda is predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Ruth A. Gaydos. She is survived by her devoted husband, Albert, who cared for her lovingly through every day of her illness. She is also survived by a brother, Jeffrey Gaydos, his wife Joyce, a niece, Molly Dupes, her husband Nathan and their three children, Grace, Max and Will Dupes, all of Michigan. Linda was particularly blessed by the devoted friendship and love of Annie Jennings and neighbors, Jan and John Ayer. Private memorial services will be held at a later date for family and close friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate