The eldest son of Vivian Lee (O’Brien) and Frank Harmon, Roy was born on August 25th, 1943, in St Louis, Missouri. Early in his childhood Roy suffered an accident that resulted in permanent visual impairment. But with the support of his resourceful parents, and the protection of his three siblings, Roy (or “Buzz” as they nicknamed him) did not miss a beat. He had an idyllic childhood filled with days freely exploring the woods behind his house, building forts, digging holes so big the city had to get involved, and of course having his big sister Vivian beating up anyone that dared to bully him. Roy attended Robinson Elementary, followed by Nipher Middle School, and then Kirkwood High School. He was not a particularly strong student because rather than have him institutionalized, as was widespread practice at the time for any disabled child, his family chose instead to create as normal of a life for him as possible outside any pre-conceived systems. After High School Roy attended St. Louis Community College where he decided it was time to move out to California to discover new opportunities and to chase his dreams of becoming an educator.
After transferring to San Jose State University, Roy found himself in a whole new world of possibilities. He studied Kinesiology and History while spending his evenings listening to jazz and rock at local clubs. It was at one of these Beatnik clubs where Roy met Hazel Bernhardt and the two quickly became inseparable. She was the jelly to his peanut butter, the cream to his coffee. They got married in 1968 and Hazel supported Roy while he completed his education and earned his Teaching Credentials at Cal Poly San Louis Obispo. Roy and Hazel often worked together as Apartment managers to stay afloat while Roy pursued any and all teaching positions. Unfortunately, job discrimination for people with disabilities was still legal at this time. Roy was denied his dream of becoming a public-school teacher. Despite struggling, Roy and Hazel welcomed the birth of their first child Brien Zachary Harmon in 1974. It was the single proudest moment of his life and the catalyst to initiate better opportunities for his family. This was when Roy and Hazel discovered the Randolph Sheppard Vendors of America and the Blind/Business Enterprise Program of California.
At last, Roy and Hazel could develop their entrepreneurial skills without fear of discrimination. In 1976 Roy opened his first BEP location at the Western Reserve Navel Facility in San Bruno, Ca. Over the following years Roy would become a BEP Training Instructor in Sacramento, and would operate numerous vending, cafeteria, and catering facilities throughout the Bay Area. His business operations included the San Mateo County Hall of Justice in Redwood City, the U.S Geological Survey in Menlo Park, the United States Postal Service General Mail Facility in San Fransisco, the County of Riverside’s Facility Vending rout, the Aliso Creek Roadside Rest Area, Centinela State Prison in El Centro Ca, and the Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad Ca. Throughout his career Roy advocated for improved employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for the visually impaired. He personally met with many Legislators and government officials, often speaking on the fundamental value and lasting impact of gainful employment for the disabled community. He unquestionably loved working. He loved everything from getting up at 4am everyday to lifting 4 cases of soda at a time, to managing a diverse staff’s needs, and to developing business proposals. Roy viewed work as a vital privilege and his way of triumphing over any skeptics.
Of course, not everything was about work. Roy loved music, sports, film, his dogs (especially Bill Bailey and Abigal), science, history, and most importantly food. Fortunately, his wife Hazel was quite the accomplished chef. Music played an essential role throughout his life. Roy played the drums, was in his High School Marching Band, and in his young adulthood found himself in few jam sessions with bands in the Bay Area / Central Coast scenes. His very favorite band of all time was Chicago, although he also loved the Beatles, among others. He saw Chicago live so many times, we lost track. His favorite sport team of all time was the St. Louis Cardinals and he deeply admired many players over the years. He loved old Westerns and classic cinema. He even loved the challenges of traveling independently via trains and airplanes. But it was always the simple times he spent conversing with family and friends that brought Roy the most pleasure. His understanding, patience, humor, and wisdom offered gentle comfort to those who knew him. All of which, will be greatly missed.
Roy was preceded in death by his parents, his brother David Harmon, his wife Hazel J. Harmon, and by several extended family members and dear friends. Roy is survived by his sister Vivian Lee, his brother Michael, his daughter Alexa, his son Brien, daughter-in-law Amanda, granddaughter Hannah, nephews Jim, Jeff and David, his nieces Angela and Stacy, and by his “adopted son” Samer whose profound friendship was immensely cherished. We request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the organizations that had the most direct impact on Roy’s life: Randolph Sheppard Vendors of America and the Braille Institute. We invite all who knew Roy to share their memories with photos and comments as we come together to share in this profound loss.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.6