Larry R. Harmon

It is a daunting task to sum up who a person was in a short concise package, but in this case, it is an honor as well. Larry Harmon was an uncomplicated man in the best sense of the word and his needs were simple. His loves were first and foremost his wife Helen, his family and friends, and then golf, horse racing and New Orleans. That was really all he needed. He was a lover of life, good food and good times; he was kindhearted and cheerful, and he was wise and secure enough in his own sense of self to never force himself or his ideals on others. If you didn't ask for his opinion, he didn't offer it, but when you did ask he gave it – openly and straightforward, and you never had to worry if he was being politically correct or careful – he'd simply tell you how he really felt, in strong simple words. When Larry entered a room you were immediately put at your ease. There was a cloud of calmness and warmth that surrounded him. You never received judgment or disapproval from him, no matter who you were. He always had a smile on his face and a chuckle at the ready. He looked at you fully – not in the typical social surface way, but as if you were the only one there and as if your words really mattered to him. And in this way he endeared himself to everyone who met him and gave you no choice but to feel just a little bit happier with the world. He will be deeply missed by everyone who had the good fortune to have known him, but he will be remembered always with deep affection and respect. Below is a conglomeration of memories from the friends and family who had the good fortune to have been close to him during his time with us, in an effort to paint a portrait of who he was, not just he himself, but what he meant to all of us. Larry was born in Ardmore Oklahoma on May 26, 1940. He was one of four children born to Lewis and Naomi Harmon, with siblings Michael, Sheila and Lance. When Larry was three years old he contracted Polio. During the course of the illness, his paralysis eased and the disease centered on his right leg. Larry had to learn to stand up and walk with crutches. His parents, Lewis and Naomi, were told not to help him; that he had to learn to struggle through on his own to develop the strength in his good leg and the rest of his body. This was a difficult undertaking for his parents, to have to watch their child struggle with so much so young in life, but they taught him to be a fighter and to never give up. For years he would return to Children's Hospital for surgeries on his right leg. It is difficult to imagine the kind of physical and emotional fortitude it must have taken to persevere in this manner. He was left with a life-long limp which had absolutely no effect whatsoever on his desire and ability to enjoy life to the fullest. He never considered himself handicapped. It never kept him from golfing or skiing or enjoying a full and active lifestyle. Even later in his life he would walk every morning with his wife Helen and just six months before his passing he was walking ten to fifteen miles a day while visiting with family in New Orleans. It was said of Larry that "He didn't have much of a childhood and that is why he played so much as an adult." Larry himself said "I was one of the fortunate ones to have access to good medical care. Because of that, I have had the opportunity to live, grow, have a wonderful family and prosper while living a productive life. There were many who were not as fortunate." This disease had to have been a defining experience in his life but, in a testament to Larry's character, rather than allow it to impose upon him weakness and fear, he instead turned it into a source of strength and equanimity, providing him with a perspective of what was truly important in life. Many people would learn the hard way that all those years on crutches helped to develop tremendous upper body strength and incredibly strong hands. For example, he would often, in fun (he did not have a mean bone in his body), grab his sons, nieces and nephews by the thigh just above their knees and squeeze so hard that they were literally incapacitated, and then he would chuckle as they writhed in agony. Don Dayton, one of Larry's lifelong friends, would say that it was always daunting to greet Larry after a long absence because he would crush your hand with enthusiasm, smiling the whole time. In 1956 when Larry was a junior in High School the family moved to Tulsa where his father Lewis got a job selling Packards. Lewis moved the family back to Oklahoma City where Larry graduated from Classen High School in 1958. He enrolled at Oklahoma State University and attended classes there for two years. He then transferred to the University of Missouri. He graduated in 1962 with a BS in Business with a focus on accounting. Larry enrolled in law school at the University of Tulsa where he spent two years pursuing a law degree while working for Skelly Oil. In 1966 he returned to Oklahoma City where Larry began his work in Systems Analysis and IT. During this chapter of his life he met, married and divorced Judith Smith. They had three wonderful boys, Kevin, Craig & Chris. In 1969 Larry was working for the Statistical Computer Center (SCC), a subsidiary of Farm Bureau, when he met Donald Dayton. They hit it off right away as both had a love for the game of golf. It was, for Donald, the first time he had met someone who seemed to be more passionate about the game than he was himself. Although they only worked together for two years they remained lifelong friends. In 1971 Larry began work as a welfare department information systems analyst at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS). Over the next 33 years he would rise through the ranks to become the Division Administrator for the Data Services Division in 1992. In 1995 he was appointed the Associate Director for Administration holding both the new position and DSD Administrator concurrently. During an executive restructuring of the organization, he was named Chief Administrative Officer in 2001, a position from which he retired in 2004. "I think that 'Public Service' is one of the most rewarding things a person can do professionally, especially human services. You won't make a lot of money, but with the right attitude and commitment you can do work that contributes to the greater good." Larry Harmon. He was a member of the American Public Human Services Association IT Solutions Management (APHSA ISM) for many years where he served as an officer. Larry was greatly respected and considered a national leader in changes within the IT programs and platforms, particularly in the Child Welfare KIDS program. "The best victory and greatest success during my tenure here has been the development and implementation of the Child Welfare KIDS system. It was one of the largest and most successful information system undertakings in government. It was huge. I mean HUGE! It was the biggest and best done project, it came in on time and on budget and delivered what we contracted for. KIDS became the first certified State Administered Child Welfare Information System, known as SACWIS, in the nation. KIDS remains a work in progress because there are always new demands being asked of the system. Yes! KIDS was and is a BIG success." Larry Harmon It was at DHS where Larry met Jay Spence and Jerry Nobel who would be added to his list of lifelong friends and colleagues. At work Larry always said that he was the visionary but Jay was the one who would make things happen. Jay and his son Scott would spend time outside of work with Larry and his boys. Each of them bought a Wet Bike in the early 80's and the families would travel to Lake Draper, Thunderbird and TenKeller where they enjoyed innumerable fun times together. Jerry Nobel worked with Larry at DHS and was well known by Larry's sons and family outside of work as well. He shared Larry's passion for MG convertibles and fun times. The three friends once made an epic trip to Lake Murray on bicycles that involved adventures that Larry's family still talks about today. "Jay Spence worked with me side by side for the first twenty-five years and taught me about commitment, friendship, and support." Larry Harmon "I respected Larry, he was a mentor, he was a place to go and he would give you straight advice, never "this is how you do it", just good advice. I'll miss his counsel. He was my brother." Jay Spence "He was somebody I could count on. He never changed; he was always the same rock steady influence." Jerry Noble In 1983 he met his soul mate Helen. They moved in together in 1984, bought their house on Lansbrook Lane in 1986 and were married in 1992. They were to have celebrated their 25th anniversary on January 1, 2017. Helen's son Eric was five years old when they met and Larry participated in his upbringing and grew to view Eric as his fourth son. Larry always said he won the lottery when Helen came into his life. They had many epic Halloween parties that are still talked about today. Throughout the length of their relationship they reserved Friday night as date night for the two of them. No matter what life threw at them, they always made time for each other and their relationship remained enviably strong and committed through the length of Larry's life, with Helen literally there by his side until the very end. To say that Larry liked to golf would be like saying ice cream is okay. Larry LOVED the game of golf with a passion! He learned it from his father Lewis and most of his family members were known to say "He was born playing golf". He grew up playing the public courses in OKC, particularly Lincoln where his father played, but he spent many contented hours at Hefner, Lincoln, Coffee Creek and Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. He and Helen became members at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club in 1996, where he enjoyed his time with his father in law Eddie Warren "When the boys and I get together, golf becomes the place and time where we share and talk about the important things in life – children, family, work, world events and how to make a difference in tackling the challenges we are facing in our lives. It's always a really good time together." Larry Harmon. It was Helen and Jay and Judy Spence who introduced Larry to horseracing. At first Larry always thought it was just a waste of time that could be better spent golfing. He would often drop Helen off at Remington Park and would go and play golf by himself. But eventually he caught the horse bug and began handicapping the horses and playing golf on the same day. Helen learned the game of golf because she recognized how much it meant to Larry and if he was going to spend so much of his time golfing then he was darn well going to do it with her. Larry also loved to travel and to fly. He loved going to new places and would spend hours just people watching. He and Helen traveled to Hawaii, Seattle, New York, San Diego and many other places in the United States. One of his all time favorite places to visit was New Orleans. He loved the party atmosphere, the diversity, the people, and the fact that you could walk everywhere. He was known to grab a friend, Jay or Jerry, and drive overnight to New Orleans for some oysters. They would spend the night and then drive back the next day, with the top down on his MG convertible, no matter how cold the weather became. Larry and Helen attend All Souls Episcopal Church, where there are fond memories of preparing Easter breakfast and Pancakes for Shrove Tuesday pancake supper. Together, he and Helen became Grandparents of eight much beloved grandchildren: Sean, Toby, Emilee, Mackenzie, Addy, William, Korbin and Zander, and they thoroughly relished the role. Nothing was more important to them than their children and their children's children and they took pride in all of their achievements and uniqueness. They also loved their nieces and nephews and their children. Larry's life with Helen and his family and friends was truly a full and fulfilling one. "I have been blessed to have Helen as my wife and we have four boys who are all fine adults now with their own families. And we are blessed with eight lovely grandchildren. The best times in the world now are when we can all be together. Its absolute chaos, but I love every minute of it." Larry Harmon Larry and Helen so enjoyed the family gatherings of siblings, nieces and nephews, kids and grandkids. And that was who he was; kind, straightforward, steady strong, content with life's simple joys, and always ready for an adventure. We are all better off for having had the opportunity to know him, and we will carry him with us forever in our hearts. LARRY HARMON How do you say goodbye to a friend A husband, a father, a grandfather too Other than offering a few insights Into their life, sharing some clues. You knew you had a friend for life If Larry did become your friend Ready to lend a helping hand Or offer a listening ear to bend. He always explained both sides of an issue A trait that's often a rarity Pointing out both pros and cons Proving greater clarity He became familiar with multiple airlines When his sons moved to another state Creating some memorable scheduling nightmares To assure their seats on specific dates. His job experiences were limited To every five years without a glitch Until joining the staff at DHS Where he found his calling and his niche. Being Data Services Administrator Soon led to a higher elevation As Chief Administrative Officer Of the DHS Administration. He became one of the Three Musketeers Comprised of A.J., Jerry and Larry Who shared a lot of episodes Until they each found their soulmates to marry. He always said there was a rule When it was time for you to retire For only when your job was complete Was it time to pursue some other desires. After his tenure at DHS He spent a lot of leisure time Honing his skills at playing golf For him, it was a game, sublime. For both himself and his spouse New Orleans was a special place When opportunities arose They didn't hesitate to embrace. Today, although our hearts are sad, 'Cause we know on earth, he longer roams We know he still lives within our hearts Sending His love from his Heavenly home. "Well Done, Thou Good and Faithful Servant" Now is the time for you to retire From the life you've shared on earth To begin your Heavenly hire. -sdh