Tommy Eugene Harmon

A recent Pisces horoscope was "Love what you do and do what you love. Express passion through your work." Sounds like advice from Tom Harmon. Tom was born Tommy Eugene Harmon on March 5, 1941, to Geraldine Elizabeth Harmon and Gerald Eugene Harmon in Jackson, Mississippi. After early years of enjoying the countryside, including pond swimming, woods exploring, and trying to convince buzzards he was dead so he could get a closer look, Tommy and family moved to San Diego, trading Hinds County fun for California sun, and that's where he grew up.

Tom joined the army right out of high school, leaving San Diego for Kirkland, Washington. He joined the Washington National Guard and worked at NIKE sites in Redmond and Vashon Island. He spent a lot of his career at the US Property and Fiscal Office at Camp Murray, Washington. He was the commander of the Washington Military Academy.

When Tom retired from the army in 1994 as Lieutenant Colonel, he was almost immediately hired by the Washington State Dept of Emergency Management. One of their first directives was to warn against powdered toxins.

It was during this time Tom had a boat and a rescue dog named Duchess and together they explored the Puget Sound. Enchanted by the many various lighthouses, Tom decided to teach himself to draw them and then paint with watercolor. A suggestion to make them into notecards was taken and Tom sold over 30,000 cards to gift shops along the western shorelines.

After Tom moved back to Mississippi and the family homestead, he joined an art group for veterans sponsored by the VA Med Center and VSA MS. Soon he was asked to teach. This led to a full-time teaching job with VSA MS, an affiliate of Very Special Art in Washington DC, an organization developed by Jean Kennedy Smith for people with disabilities. Through this program's teaching artist-in-residence offering, Tom taught hundreds of children throughout the state how to make paper. By this time Tom was close to total deafness and was wearing hearing aids soon to be advanced to cochlears. Students were learning new skills along with the lesson that a disability does not need to hold you back.

VSA MS became Art for All MS continuing the nonprofit work of providing art opportunities for those with and without disabilities. Tom continued as well, teaching art to adults in the Community Art Group, and offering Professional Development featuring Universal Design to teachers. His favorite fundraiser was volunteering at the Sanderson Farms Golf Tournament, where he and Chris (rescue dog and best friend) manned the 5th hole. Tom remained Executive Director of Art for All until his death, July 19, 2025.

Tom's heart was always with his three beloved daughters and their families: Jennifer Keller and sons Ben Hollar and Jonathan Hollar; Beth Brewer (Rustin) and daughter, McKelvey; Stephanie Shultz (Jonathan) and children Olivia, Sam, Nick. Tom also leaves to grieve him his wife, Catherine Edwards, and stepson, Anderson Edwards.

Memorials would be appreciated to Galloway Church or MARL, Miss. Animal Rescue League at 522Greenway Dr. Extension . Jackson, MS 39204.