John Joseph Harmon (Photo courtesy family)
John Joseph Harmon died May 29 at his Arlington, Va., home at 58 from complications associated with HIV/AIDS, according to his brother, Tom Harmon.
Harmon was born Jan. 9, 1960, in Brockton, Mass., to Leona E. (Martin) and Robert L. Harmon. He spent his childhood years in Whitman, Mass., and was a graduate of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School, graduating in 1978. He moved to Richmond, Va., in 1983 and then to Northern Virginia in 1991.
“He will be fondly remembered for the enthusiasm he showed towards his various hobbies, which include watching golf, cooking, collecting baseball caps and following the Green Bay Packers,” Tom Harmon said.
Harmon, who was gay, is survived by sister Mary Ann and brother-in-law Robert W. Corthell III of Bridgewater, Mass., and brother Thomas L. Harmon and his partner, Dr. Jose W. Melendez of Chicago. Harmon was an uncle to Mathew R. and Ginger Corthell of Lake Forest Park, Wash., and Daniel T. and Tara Corthell of Wilbraham, Mass., Adam M. Corthell of Stoneham, Mass., and Kaitlynn R. Corthell of Northampton, Mass. He was great uncle to Teagan and Gavin Corthell of Wilbraham, Mass. He is also survived by other extended family.
A memorial service and reception is slated for Saturday, June 30 at 1 p.m. at Commonwealth Baptist Church (700 Commonwealth Ave., Alexandria, Va.). Donations in Harmon’s memory may be made to any agency that supports HIV/AIDS survivors or Friends of the NIH (friendsatnih.org), which helps patients undergoing treatment at the National Institutes of Health.
