Robert James Harmon

It is with heavy hearts, that the family of Robert James Harmon announce his passing on Oct. 26, 2024, after his ferocious 18-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Raise your glass (preferably of an expensive red or a Chardonnay) to Bob – Robbie, Rob, Uncle Rob, Yeti, Dad, Best Friend – the man who never went anywhere without making friends, making people laugh and telling tall tales.

Bob was known for his warm smile, his generosity, and his unwavering commitment to those he loved and the Parkinson’s community. A graduate of Birmingham School of Law, Denison University and Blair Academy, he spent his career as a banker, a lawyer, and a brewery owner, but found his true calling as a person living with Parkinson’s. In the years after his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Bob created a support group in Lake Ashton for those with PD and their care partners, participated in many clinical trials, ran an annual golf tournament benefitting The Michael J. Fox Foundation for 11 years and raised over half a million dollars, 100% of which went straight to research for a cure. But he also was a mentor to those running their own events, and a counselor to those newly diagnosed and struggling with the disease.

Bob was a loving husband to Cecily, with whom he celebrated 44 years on Oct. 18, and a devoted father to twins Emily and Kate (husband, Matthew). Bob’s dedication to his wife Cecily was legendary, only secondary to her love for him and willingness to stand by his side and care for him during his difficult years with PD and dementia.

Bob will be remembered for a lot of things including his love of golf, recounting the holes in one he got in the same week period, his love of ice cream, carrot cake and cookies, his wine cellar, Chardonnay, a good laugh and his ability to convince you to believe in his tall tales.

Born in Plainfield, N.J., Bob is survived by his sister, Bonnie Hayes, his favorite niece, Jennifer (husband, John) Nikolich, favorite nephew, Tracy (wife, Michelle) Hayes, his Lake Ashton community, his Team Fox family, which was truly his family, and all those people he met everywhere he went who he treated like family. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Robert, his sister Judith and his brother-in-law, Don.

A celebration of Bob’s life will be held Sunday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. at the Lake Ashton HFC, 6052 Pebble Beach Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33884. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 11 a.m. at the Church of Good Shepherd in Lake Wales. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in his memory to The Michael J. Fox Foundation to continue his legacy of fighting for a cure for his disease at https://give.michaeljfox.org/bob-harmon-tribute .

Bob will be dearly missed but never forgotten. His spirit and love will continue to be felt in the lives he touched. And when a cure for Parkinson’s is found, we have no doubt it will be in part due to the work he has done to further a cure and better fellow patients’ lives.