John H. Harwood II

John H. Harwood II, 74, of Washington, D.C., passed away from pancreatic cancer on September 24, 2019. John leaves his wife Corbin Crews Harwood, a daughter Clare Harwood, a son Timothy Harwood (wife Laura Tomasko), and a granddaughter Emma Harwood, all of Washington, D.C. He also leaves a sister Nancy Smith of North Falmouth, Mass., and a sister-in-law Peggy Harwood of Fairfield, Conn. A brother Timothy H. Harwood predeceased John in 2006.

John was an unforgettable character because of his unrelenting drive and spirit, sparing no one and excusing no foibles. He was so broadly read that there was hardly a volume or subject beyond his ken, especially his encyclopedic association with scholarly works of American history. He had a towering intelligence and memory, neither of which he curtailed in deference to any situation.

While all this may seem off-putting, the truth was just the opposite: a genuinely self- deprecating, generous, and wise man, he exuded a welcome and warmth that attracted friends around the world. At times he tried to emulate a curmudgeonly New Englander, but John’s wit and sense of humor wouldn’t allow it. He lived life purposefully, responsibly, fairly and honestly. He epitomized trustworthiness. His loyalty was unchecked. John loved his family and friends openly and without reservation. He loved his country far beyond lip service.

Son of the late Sydney and Janice (Butler) Harwood, John was born and raised in Worcester, Mass. He graduated from Phillips Academy Andover, class of 1963, and from Harvard College, class of 1967, cum laude, where he played four years of varsity squash. During his senior year at Harvard, John committed to join the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School. He reported to Quantico, Va., in September 1967.

As a green second lieutenant, John served as an infantry platoon commander in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969. During his 13-month tour spent in active combat near the DMZ, he was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V and the Purple Heart for his courageous service to his country. John joined the Marines not out of a desire to follow a military career or because he necessarily agreed with the reason for the war, but because he believed it was unfair that those with privilege were able to avoid service when others could not. That commitment to social justice defined John’s life.

Mustering from the Marine Corps, John earned a juris doctor degree from Columbia Law School. He next obtained an LLM from Georgetown University through the Institute for Public Interest Representation where he also worked briefly as acting co-director. In 1975, he joined Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering, now WilmerHale, becoming a partner in 1981 and retiring in 2007. John saw his role at the firm as not only providing the best possible legal service to clients, but also mentoring, editing, re-editing, and teaching young lawyers through active participation in the cases he worked on as a leading member of the Communications Group. John and family relocated to Brussels, Belgium, in 1990 to establish a European Union law and regulation practice for the law firm. They returned to Washington in 1993. Throughout his career, John was a strong advocate for gender and racial diversity in the legal profession.

Always sensitive to the sacrifices and burdens of military service, John served for 20 years on the board of the National Veterans Legal Services Program where he was chairman for five years. With fellow board member Ron Flagg, John urged NVLSP to establish Lawyers Serving Warriors. This program has worked with over a hundred law firms around the country, providing pro bono services that have enabled tens of thousands of veterans to receive disability benefits they were promised. At his urging, NVLSP became active in representing victims of military sexual trauma. In 2009 John initiated the first NVLSP fundraising event, using persistence to persuade luminaries such as General Colin Powell and Governor Tom Ridge to speak. Senator Daniel K. Inouye accepted the first NVLSP service award, named in the Senator’s honor. In 2016, John was humbled to receive the Inouye Award himself.

John also served his local community on the Boards of House of Ruth and the local chapter of the ACLU.

John’s heart was in Westport Harbor, Mass., where he spent summers as a boy. He continued this warm association there with his own family, playing tennis and golf and sailing enthusiastically on the Westport River and Buzzards Bay. His high regard for the waters of the Bay led him to serve on and to provide legal counsel to the board of the Buzzards Bay Coalition, the premiere environmental association in southeastern Massachusetts.

John will be remembered at 10 a.m. Saturday, October 19th at the Washington National Cathedral. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory may be made to the National Veterans Legal Services Program https://www.nvlsp.org/contribute/donate-online (tel. 202-265-8305) or to the Campaign Legal Center, a non-partisan organization dedicated to making the American political process accessible to all citizens. For CLC donations, please contact Jodie Rubenstein—[email protected] or 703-217-2233.