John E. “Gene” Harmon, 89, of West Kittanning passed away Saturday at Allegheny Valley Hospital.

He was born on Feb. 27, 1924, in Sugarcreek Township to John F. and Aileen (Crawford) Harmon.

During World War II, he was a member of the 174 Combat Division serving in the U.S. Army in New Caledonia, Leyte, Philippines and Japan.

He retired from AK Steel in Butler after 38 years.

He was a member of the Union First Presbyterian Church in Cowansville, the Pattonville VFW, the Cowansville American Legion, the Kittanning-East Brady F&AM Lodge 244 and the New Castle Consistory. He was also a Republican co-chairman for Armstrong County and a judge of election. He was a former member of East Franklin Township Fire Department, and the Water Authority in West Kittanning Boro.

He was an amateur boxer and enjoyed hunting.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Rose (Myers) Harmon; his daughter, Linda (Don) Shankle of West Kittanning; his son, Jack Harmon of Erie; his granddaughter, Jennifer (Brandon) Billings of Erie; his grandson, Michael Harmon of Baltimore, Md.; his sister, Phyllis (Russell) Smith of Greensburg; his nephew, Terry (Karen) Smith of Jeannette; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

HARMON — The friends of John E. “Gene” Harmon, 89, of West Kittanning, who passed away Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Snyder-Crissman Funeral Home, 832 E. Brady Road, Cowansville.An additional visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of the services at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Union First Presbyterian Church in Cowansville with the Rev. Mary Marks King officiating. Interment will be at the Lawn Haven Burial Estates.For more information or to send an online condolence, please visit www. snydercrissman.com.