Robert W. Harmon

Robert W. Harmon

Robert “Bob” W. Harmon, 93, of Upper Arlington, Ohio, passed away peacefully at his home at Riverview Assisted Living on October 18, 2026.

Born August 14, 1933, in Cleveland to Dr. Edwin L. Harmon and Alathea (Wallace) Harmon, Robert spent his childhood in Cleveland and Westchester County, New York. He graduated from Washington Irving High School in Tarrytown, New York, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin College in 1955.

Bob was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1956. An 18-month assignment with the Army Security Agency included deployment to Tokyo, Japan, where he climbed Mount Fuji. After military service, he worked as an inspector for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in Detroit before earning a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1967.

Beginning his legal career in Washington, D.C., Bob later joined Manhattan-based American Electric Power as a corporate attorney in 1972. He described his decade in New York City as one of the most enriching periods of his life, where he began collecting art, exploring cultural institutions, and immersing himself in the city's intellectual energy. He relocated to Columbus in 1983 following AEP's move to the Midwest and remained a maize-and-blue-wearing resident of Central Ohio for the next four decades.

In retirement, Bob was a regular visitor to the Upper Arlington and Columbus libraries and supported historic preservation efforts with Columbus Landmarks. He was active in local and state politics and was a dedicated participant in Democratic causes and campaigns. Among his treasured keepsakes was a "canary in the coal mine" pin gifted from U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown's own lapel.

One of Bob's favorite sayings reflected his appreciation for public institutions and his commitment to learning and free speech: "If there are no libraries, I must not be in heaven."

Bob was an automobile collector and active member of the BMW Club of Central Ohio. He was also a model railroad enthusiast who created and displayed exhibits at the Martin Janis Center railroad club. He enjoyed traveling by rail throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his sisters, Barbara Karl of Anchorage, Alaska, and Anne Harding of Grosse Pointe, Michigan; his nephew, Tom (Janelle) Harding; and his great-nephew, Jayden Harding, all of Chicago.

He was especially grateful for the companionship of Mikalene Guiser in his later years. Together they enjoyed weekly church services and spirited lunch conversation, as well as trips to see movies, concerts, parades, and many cultural events throughout Ohio.

Family and friends will be received at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church (30 W. Woodruff Ave., Columbus) on Saturday, Oct. 31, beginning at 3 p.m., followed by a celebration of life service at 4 p.m. Robert will be interred near his parents in Michigan at a later date.