Thomas Henley Harmon, age 79, passed on to his heavenly home on November 22, 2022. The funeral service will be on Wednesday, November 30, at 11:00 at Community Bible Church in Pierre, with visitation starting at 10:00. Burial will be at 4:00 at Bethel Church Cemetery of Carpenter SD.

Tom was born to Eugene and Hazel Harmon on May 26, 1943, in Madison SD, the third of their eight children. He accepted Jesus as his Savior at an early age. The family moved to Doland SD, where Tom attended the lower grades. When they moved to the Byron Bible Camp near Huron, Tom and his siblings attended country school. He graduated from James Valley Christian High School in 1961, then studied at Grace Bible Institute for one year. He graduated from Northern State College in 1972.

Tom married Esther Lutes in 1970, and they were teachers for several years. Tom started Law School the same month his first son Erin Byron Harmon was born. In 1978 Tom received his Juris Doctor from the University of South Dakota and also completed a Masters in Education Administration.

Tom moved his family to Pierre, where he clerked for Chief Justice Roger Wollman, followed by twelve years in the SD Attorney General’s staff. Son Elliot Thomas Harmon was born during this time. In 1991 Tom became a partner in the Tieszen Law Office in Pierre, and in 2006 he opened his own practice. Having his office in their home, he and Esther did well with the 24/7 togetherness. Tom devoted much of his professional time representing school districts from one corner of the state to the other.

Tom was a member of Community Bible Church, the SD State Fair Commission and the Elks Lodge as well as other boards. He loved to read, and he enjoyed woodworking, though he excelled in the law more than carpentry. Tom had a gregarious personality, and he always had a friendly greeting or a joke to share.

Tom is survived by his wife Esther Harmon, his son Erin (Susanne) Harmon of Sioux Falls, granddaughter Hannah Harmon, daughter-in-law Kat Cornelius of San Francisco, brothers Craig (Dorothy) Harmon of Huron, Philip (Connie) Harmon of Whitewater WI, Joel (Bobbie) Harmon of Elkhorn WI, sisters Rebecca (Don) Donalson of Tomball TX, Rachel (Ken) Ediger of Wichita KS, and Sally (David) Lott of Newport News VA; his sisters-in-law Inez Fattig, Phoebe (Frank) Martin and Olive (Stan) Gurney, brother-in-law Loren Lutes (Janis Stout), and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his son Elliot, granddaughter Darlene, his parents and parents-in-law, his brother Daniel and a nephew David. Also preceding him were several of Esther’s siblings.

A memorial fund has been established by the family.

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