John J. Harmon (1959)
The passing in September 2017 of alumnus, fan, friend, and benefactor John J. Harmon ’59 left the Athletics family with heavy hearts yet also with fond and special memories. A lifelong fan of Lehigh sports—most especially wrestling and football—John had attended many hundreds of games, matches, and events over his lifetime. His loyalty, love of Lehigh, and generosity in supporting the university were exemplary and distinctive. Among the projects and initiatives made possible through the support of John and his wife of 58 years, Elaine, were the wrestling scholarship program, the Grace Hall and Caruso Complex facilities, an endowment to support Wrestling Assistant Coaches, the Pressbox/Skybox in Goodman Stadium, the Annual Fund, the renovation of Williams Hall, and more.
Raised on a farm in Lawrenceville, NJ, John earned a B.A. in mathematics from Lehigh in 1959. As an undergraduate, he was a founding member of the Gryphon Society, a station manager, business manager, and music director for the WLRN student radio station, and president of Pi Delta Epsilon. He spent his professional life in computer programming and systems analysis, working for a variety of Fortune 500 companies. His affection for football was reflected in his decades as a season ticket holder, and he achieved membership in the “50 Game Club” by attending 59 Lehigh vs. Lafayette football games. His love of wrestling led to decades of voluntary support for the sport. For 20 years, he served as information director for the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), the nation’s oldest wrestling conference, and published a periodic newsletter covering all the teams in the league. He co-authored The History of the EIWA – The First 100 Years and served as an editor for the National Mat News. John was honored with the Bob Dellinger Award as the nation’s top wrestling journalist in 2012, and in 2014, he received the Lifetime Service Award from the New Jersey Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He also served Lehigh through the Alumni Association Board of Directors, his Class of 1959, and numerous local charities. John Harmon’s devotion of his time matched—or exceeded—his philanthropic generosity.
Humility defined John Harmon throughout his life. He never sought—and would not accept—visible recognition for his commitments of time, talent, and treasure. Despite all the financial support and time devoted to Lehigh, there has been no facility dedicated in his name—because he would never permit it. Thus, it is most appropriate that, with the support of his wife Elaine and daughters Wendy and Debbie (Lehigh ’83) and their families, renovations to the west side structures (“The John J. Harmon ’59 Skybox and Suites”) and the construction of a new media and game operations box (originally named by John for his father, Herbert O. Harmon ’27) on the east side of Goodman Stadium were made possible. The railroad theme that distinguishes the John J. Harmon ’59 Skybox and Suites is a tribute to John’s lifelong love of rail travel and trains.
While John is missed dearly by the Lehigh community and the Lehigh Athletics family—and his passing left a void that cannot be replaced—his memory lives on through his impact on the lives of so many others and through these significant stadium enhancements.
The Transformational Philanthropic Legacy of John J. Harmon ’59
Athletics Facilities
- Goodman Stadium (Herbert G. Harmon ’27 Pressbox)
- Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall
- Caruso Wrestling Complex
University Facilities
- Williams Hall Renovations
Athletics Endowment
- John J. Harmon ’59 Wrestling Scholarship
- Wrestling Coach Endowment (Rauch-Harmon Assistant Wrestling Coach)
- John J. Harmon ’59 Wrestling Endowment Fund
- John J. Harmon ’59 Fund for Wrestling
- Gerald Leeman – John Harmon Fund for Wrestling Excellence
Annual Support for Athletics
- Athletics Partnership
- Athletics Partnership Golf Classic
- Lehigh Wrestling Partnership
- Lewis Wrestling Dinner
- Lehigh Wrestling Club
- Summer Tuition/5th Year Fund
Annual Support for the University (President’s Associate)
- Lehigh Annual Fund
- Alumni Bulletin
Special Events/Special Initiatives
- H. F. Oberkotter Memorial Fund
- 100th Anniversary of Lehigh Wrestling
- Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner
- Lehigh Room at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
Tower Society
