Lee RosaLEE Harmon

Lee Harmon, 85, Candlewood Lake and formerly of Galion, passed away peacefully at home with family and friends at her bedside on Wednesday, March 14, 2012, eight days after suffering a massive stroke. Born, Myrtle Rosalee Coryell on October 5, 1926 in Sullivan, Ind. she was the daughter of the late Noble and Faye (Wilson) Coryell. She graduated from Sullivan High School in 1944 where she played the oboe and was drum majorette. In 1943 she was the State Champion Baton Twirler and State Winner in Woodwind Quintet. After graduation, Lee went to MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill. and later transferred to Indiana State Teachers College (Indiana State University) in Terre Haute where she was also drum majorette and a member of the Gamma Gamma sorority (Delta Gamma) where she was Runner-up Prom Queen in 1947. She graduated with a BS in Elementary Education in 1948 which led to her first job teaching kindergarten at Montrose School in Terre Haute immediately after graduation. In 1949, she married George Harmon, her childhood sweetheart and the newly-weds moved to Galion where George started work at North Electric and she took a position teaching kindergarten at East and Wilma Crall Elementary Schools. During this time, she noticed the difficulty left-handed students had using right-handed scissors and in 1952 had a left-handed prototype made in Galion which she showed the Vice President of Acme Shear Company in Bridgeport, Conn. Three months later, she learned Acme had launched the "Lefty Scissor" complete with gold plating & special lettering just as she suggested. They "Undercut" her, but she made it happen and was happy the problem had been solved. In 1956, she started Hobby Horse Nursery School, Galion's first pre-school in their home at 108 Switzer Drive where she taught until 1970 when she moved it to their Candlewood Lake property. Then in 1981, she closed the nursery school after 25 years to devote full time to Harmon's Pine View Camp a co-ed summer camp for children ages 6 to 12 which she founded in 1975 and operated for 34 years attracting over 6000 campers and hundreds of staff from around the world. When she retired in 2005 at the age of 81 she had held the American Camping Association's highest designation: Certified Camp Director, Permanent Status. She was an active member of the Olentangy Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) which sponsored the Bee Hunters Society, the Galion chapter of the Children of the American Revolution (CAR) where she served as Senior President for 13 years from 1962-1975 winning "Most Outstanding Society" honors in 1966 & 1970. She was sworn in as Ohio Senior State President for a two year term in 1970 at George Washington's Mt. Vernon estate during the 75th National CAR Convention in Washington, DC. This was especially significant since her ancestor George Coryell, son of Cornelius Coryell owner of Coryell's Ferry where General Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware on Christmas Eve 1776 was one of Washington's Pall Bearers. She joined the Ohio Genealogical Society to research family history to link Galion children to their patriotic past. This passion inspired countless hours on the internet and in libraries across the country. Her genealogical discoveries include ancestral connections to Catherine Parr, the last wife of King Henry VIII of England and General Nathanael Greene, second in command to General Washington during the Revolutionary War. Lee's integrity, enthusiasm and vitality were evident in all of her activities and commitments. She enjoyed attending Sorosis meetings, Pandora Dances, Bridge and Supper Club as well as activities at the Galion Country Club where she was Past President of the Women's Board and both the Singles & Doubles Ping Pong Champion in 1950. She was Past President of Twig 8, Galion Hospital Auxiliary and Past Director of the Children's Youth Club at the First Presbyterian Church where she was a Sunday school teacher and sang Tenor in the choir for many years. Lee and George later joined St. Paul United Methodist Church in Galion and recently published a book titled, "The Candlewood Pine View Saga" documenting the development of the two Morrow Country properties. Lee is survived by her devoted husband of 62 years, George Harmon, along with son Scott Harmon and his wife Gayten of Portola Valley, CA, son Craig Harmon, daughter Ann and her husband Dan Tompkins of Lewiston, NY and daughter Lynn and her husband Jeff Morton of Gahanna, OH. Also surviving are five grandchildren; Kirsten Harmon, Jonathan Harmon, Elizabeth and husband Brent Markham, Rebecca Morton and Andrew Morton as well as Lee's older and only sister, Mrs. B.J. (Marjorie) Ford of Kokomo, IN. Lee's family will receive friends from 1 to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 31, 2012 at their home, Harmon's Pine View, 7211 County Road 40, Mt. Gilead. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 1, 2012 at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 746 Cherry St. in Galion with Pastor Tom Snode officiating. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial tributes be made in the form of contributions to HomeCare Matters Hospice, P.O. Box 327, Galion, Ohio 44833. Condolences may be made to the family directly via email at glharmon@embarqmail.com or via US Mail to George Harmon, 7326 SR-19, Unit 5206, Mt. Gilead, OH 43338.