Emmett Richard Harmon was born on March 27, 1944, in Monrovia, Liberia, the first child of Ambassador Emmett Lafayette Harmon and Irene Malvina Wiles. As a boy, Emmett was bright and athletic and excelled in most all endeavors he engaged in. When Emmett was 8 years old, he was enrolled at the Institut auf dem Rosenberg in St. Gallen, Switzerland. When Emmett arrived in St. Gallen, he did not speak German. That soon changed and ultimately, Emmett became a polyglot speaking French, English, and German fluently, while also being conversant in Italian and Romansh. While in boarding school Emmett would split his summers with his friends from boarding school in Germany and with his family at home in Monrovia. Emmett maintained his relationships with his boarding school friends for over 65 years as they held bi-annual reunions throughout Europe that Emmett still regularly attended; he had recently traveled with his son Michael to France for a reunion. As a child, when Emmett would return to Liberia, he would spend time with his cousins, who were like his brothers and sisters. There was a large group of cousins from the Wiles family that stayed at the house of Richard and Mae Wiles at 99 Broad Street in Monrovia, Liberia. Emmett would spend his time at home from boarding school with his cousins, Maakai, Neshee, and Myrna, who were like sisters to Emmett. Emmett also grew up with the children of his uncle and aunt, Ambassador George Padmore and the Ambassador’s wife Mai Padmore, Arthur, Edward, Gerald, Ronnie and James. Emmett was very close to the Padmore boys and they grew up as brothers. Although a few years younger, Emmett was fond of his cousins Mimah and Bill and their dear father Uncle Pipi, who served as Liberian Ambassador to the Court of St. James (UK) where Emmett would spend holidays as a boy. Emmett and his cousins founded their social group, The Literary Club, in Monrovia and lived a jet-setting life style between the U.S., Europe, Liberia and Africa’s west coast during the 1950s and 1960s. Upon graduating from boarding school, Emmett followed his cousins Arthur and Gerald Padmore and moved to the United States and enrolled as a post graduate student at the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, Massachusetts, where he played soccer and prepared to take American college entry exams. Emmett was an active member of the Williston Northampton alumni community and regularly donated and kept up with developments at the school. Upon completion of his post graduate year at Williston Northampton, Emmett enrolled at Columbia University in New York, New York where he received his bachelor’s degree. Emmett’s children fondly remember their father singing the Columbia University Fight Song, “We Are the Stuff (AKA “Who Owns New York”)” in his baritone. Coincidentally, “Stuff” is a nickname that Emmett’s cousins Arthur and Gerald lovingly used to refer to him. In May 1967, Emmett was introduced to Cecily Judith Sawyer at the wedding reception of his cousin Pitman Harmon to Cecily’s college mate and dear friend Jackie Hardaway. Emmett and Cecily married in 1970 in New York before returning to Monrovia to raise a family. Emmett and Cecily ultimately had three sons, Michael Emmett, Kiadii Hale, and Lami Matthew. Michael was born in Liberia while Kiadii and Lami were born in the United States. Upon moving back to the United States in 1973, Emmett began working at Simplicity Patterns as a sales representative covering the Mid-Atlantic states. Emmett and Cecily always planned to return home to Liberia and during Christmas of 1979 they returned to Liberia with their sons Michael and Kiadii. In April of 1980 there was a coup in Liberia. Emmett and Cecily returned to the United States and their home in Delaware became a haven to many Liberian family members. Several years later, Emmett was offered a position in Financial Services with Wilmington Trust in their Corporate Client Services division as an assistant vice-president. He was the first person of color hired as an assistant vice-president at Wilmington Trust. Twenty-five years later, Emmett was named the Managing Director of Wilmington Trust Europe and expanded Wilmington Trust’s business to the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands, and throughout Europe while also establishing and forming Wilmington Trust’s office in London, United Kingdom. Emmett was regarded by his professional colleagues as a gentleman who did not need the spotlight to shine on him and as someone who was dedicated to helping younger professionals advance their careers. Outside of work, Emmett was an avid athlete well into his 70s, until his sight began to fail him. He was a regular at the Rodney Street Tennis Courts in Wilmington, Delaware and at the Brandywine Racquet Club in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. He was also a youth coach for all of his sons in soccer and was a ski instructor at a local ski mountain in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Ever the devoted father, Emmett also instilled his athleticism in his children. He could regularly be found with his sons at the park, playing soccer, tennis, lacrosse and basketball, often all of those sports in the same day. Emmett was also a known and regular entity on the sidelines of The Tatnall School in Greenville, Delaware, from the 1990s through the aughts watching his sons compete and succeed in sport for the Tatnall Hornets. Emmett also took great pride in being on the sidelines of the University of Denver Pioneers soccer team, watching his son Lami excel at the sport that was also Emmett’s first athletic passion. Emmett was also a gourmand and his life experiences and travel afforded him the opportunity to sample some of the finest foods and wines the world has to offer. Emmett translated this experience into the kitchen himself as an excellent cook and he taught each of his sons their culinary skills. Additionally, Emmett was an avid skier ever since his days in boarding school in Switzerland. Emmett taught all of his sons to ski from a young age and it was an activity Emmett engaged in for over 70 years. He took his family all over the world to ski, whether Kitzbuhel in the Austrian Tyrol, Aspen Mountain in the Colorado Rockies or Val D’Isere in the French Alps, Emmett was at his happiest on the piste with his family. In addition to being a role model for his sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins, Emmett was the senior statesman for the Harmon family and had served as the Chairman of the Harmon Family Reunion Committee. Along with his talented cousins, Emmett was instrumental in planning and organizing the Harmon family reunions. He was a primary source for understanding and explaining the Liberian socio-political environment and the Harmon family’s historical and significant role in Liberian society and history. Emmett’s father was an Ambassador for the nation of Liberia, his maternal grandfather Richard Wiles was Speaker of the Liberian House, his paternal grandfather Hale Lafayette Harmon was a Liberian Senator from Grand Bassa County and a senior Liberian diplomat who had an audience with Queen Victoria, his paternal great grandfather Samuel George Harmon was the Vice-President of Liberia, and Emmett’s uncle Louis Arthur Grimes was the Chief Justice of the Liberian Supreme Court. Emmett spent his formative years listening to and learning from his family who held a number of prominent positions in Liberian government and society. It was primarily via Emmett’s oration that many of us learned the stories of our relatives or the intricacies of the Liberian Constitution of 1986, or the impact of the 1765 Stamp Act on the formation of the United States, or the myriad topics which Emmett had an expert level of knowledge of. He was a stalwart example of intellectualism, self-reliance and positivism. Emmett was a voracious reader and had a quiet countenance that belied the vastness and depth of his knowledge which was complemented by his ability to teach and share that knowledge. Emmett was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by a host of loving family including his ex-wife: Cecily Sawyer Harmon. His sons and daughters-in-law: Michael Emmett Sawyer Harmon (Annie Elizabeth Hellerstein Harmon), Kiadii Hale Sawyer Harmon (Mary Kathryn (Kate) Hodges Harmon), and Lami Matthew Sawyer Harmon. His grandchildren: Edina Rose Harmon, Emm Charlie Harmon, Eliana Mae Harmon, and Lafayette Kateswill Harmon. His sisters: Jewel Harmon, Esquire, Mariet Harmon, and Dr. Ruby Harmon. And a multitude of cousins, nieces and nephews that formed the core of Emmett’s life. Dad, Grandad, Grandaddy, Cousin Emmett, Uncle Emmett, Mr. Harmon or just Emmett he was loved, respected and he lived a full life that has inspired his family members to love one another, be kind, and live our best lives. He will be missed and remembered. A celebration of Emmett’s life will be held on Saturday, July 10th 2021 at 11 a.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal Church Newark, DE 19711. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the St. Thomas Episcopal Church Discretionary Fund which can be located at the following website. www.stthomasnewarkde.church
Remembering members of the Williston Northampton community