Community servant’s cancer fight ends; State Kiwanis award bestowed
Bellefontaine area resident Nancy Harmon, right, and her husband, Dick walk hand-in-hand at the recent wedding of Taylor Allison and Ashley Burkhammer. (PHOTO | HARMON FAMILY)
After spending many decades in service to her community, dedicating countless hours to helping children, adults and seniors stay healthy while also uplifting them with her warmhearted demeanor, lifelong Bellefontaine resident Nancy Harmon has been honored this month with the 2018 Ohio District Kiwanis Albert & Iris Gilbert Humanitarian Award.
Affectionately known by many area youths and adults alike as “Nurse Nancy,” members of the Bellefontaine Kiwanis Club who nominated her for the award and many other area residents have rallied around the community servant and health ambassador after her diagnosis with stage IV colon cancer in April 2016. Mrs. Harmon passed away this morning at her home at the age of 73.
Earlier this week, Mrs. Harmon provided a comment about the award recognition relayed through her granddaughter, Ally Marotti.
“It’s been such an honor to be a part of this community and getting to serve everyone in it for most of my life,” she said. “I’ve loved every second of it, and am grateful to everyone I’ve met along the way.”
The Albert & Iris Gilbert Humanitarian award is presented is awarded annually to a Kiwanian who has exemplified the organization’s ideal of service which has significantly contributed to humanitarian causes such as, but not limited to, medical, education, food , shelter, community growth and safety for children and individuals within a community. She will be recognized posthumously for this accolade during August at the Kiwanis Ohio District Convention in Toledo.
The nine-year Kiwanis Club member and award winner began her career as a caretaker and encourager for those who were ill at a young age, volunteering as a candy striper at Mary Rutan Hospital while she was still in high school. In 1964, she received a degree in nursing from the Toledo School of Nursing and then returned to the area.
“Nurse Nancy” first worked as a nurse for local physicians and at Mary Rutan Hospital, and then retired in 2007 from her position as a Bellefontaine City Schools nurse. Shortly thereafter, she began her role as a community health nurse for Mary Rutan Hospital.
Read complete story in Thursday’s Examiner.
CLICK HERE to subscribe today!
WEB EDITION STARTING AT $9.50 FOR 5 WEEKS!