Francis Harmon

Retired U.S. Army Sgt. First Class Francis Linwood Harmon, affectionately known as "Papa", died Friday,Feb. 18, 2011. He was born Aug. 22, 1925, in Bath, Maine, to the late Mary Frances Brown Harmon and the late Raymond W. Harmon. He attended school in Rockland, Maine, and joined the U.S. Army in September 1943. Retired Sgt. First Class Harmon was a 28-year decorated veteran and POW, serving in three wars; WWII, Korean and Vietnam. He continued serving his country as a 16-year employee of the United States Postal Service. He was an active member of Ocran United Methodist Church, where he cherished his time with the Adult Sunday School Class, Bible Study and United Methodist Men. He also enjoyed Mondays with the Ocran Art Class. Francis was predeceased by his wife of 23 years, Florence Gibbs Harmon; sister, Beverly Harmon Lothrop; brothers, Raymond Harmon and Robert Harmon; son, Dennis Belcher; and granddaughter, Wendy Belcher. Left to cherish his memory is his daughter, Rebecca Harmon Prince and her husband Thomas W. Prince, whom he lived with for 11 years in Sutherland, Va.; son, John Thomas Belcher Jr. and his wife, Debbie F. Belcher of Colonial Heights, Va.; five grandchildren, Katie Jo Frances Prince, Kimberly Florence Ivey (Kevin), David S. Belcher (Kathleen), Stacey Blum (James), Kristy Edmondson (Tim); and eight great-grandchildren; a loving niece, Diana Lothrop, and nephew, Linwood Lothrop, both of Maine; and a host of extended family and friends. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 21, 2011, at Ocran United Methodist Church, 20211 Cox Road, Sutherland, Va., with The Rev. R. Larry House, the Rev. Gene C. Tatum; and the Rev. Harry Byrd Jones officiating. Interment with full military honors will follow at Southlawn Memorial Park, Prince George, Va. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011, at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Ocran United Methodist Church, 20807 Cox Road, Sutherland VA 23885. The family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Kirby Southall and caretaker Evelyn Ferguson for their dedicated care. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com .