Jeffery "Jeff" Watson Harmon, Jr.

Jeffery Watson Harmon, Jr., age 92, of Evansville, IN, passed away at 3:55 a.m. on Monday, October 08, 2018, at River Pointe Health Campus.

Jeff was born October 13, 1925 in Jacksonville, IL, to the late Jeffrey Watson Harmon & Elizabeth Jane (Doak) Harmon. He attended Central High School, and his first professional music-related job in Evansville was at 16 years of age. Jeff has been playing music ever since. He and his wife, Jane, worked together with many local musicians as Jeff Harmon Jazz, and he is known as the “Godfather of Jazz” in this area. Jeff was a Veteran in the United States Navy during World War II. He was a Seaman 1st Class in the South Pacific Theatre on a Net Tender, the “USS Chinquapin.” He went on to work for Whirlpool and Keller Crescent before owning his own printing company, Presstime. Jeff was a 50-year member of Lessing Masonic Lodge 464 and was a Hadi Shriner.

He is survived by his loving wife of 21 years, Martha “Jane” (Matthews) Harmon; stepsons, David Alan Cruse (Megan Mills) of Adrian, MI, and Stephen Michael Cruse of Evansville, IN; stepdaughter, Mitsy Griffith of Anaheim, CA; son-in-law, Gene Grose of Tuscon, AZ; granddaughter, Meg Foley; 4 step-grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; and cat, Jazzy.

He is preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Jennifer Grose; and sister, Mary Ellen Harmon.

Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 12, 2018 at Epworth United Methodist Church, 4455 Epworth Road, Evansville with Reverend Danny Barr officiating. Burial will be Private.

Friends may visit from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Thursday, October 11, 2018 at Boone Funeral Home East Chapel – A Family Tradition Funeral Home, 5330 Washington Avenue, Evansville. The Hadi Shrine walk-through will be at 6:15 p.m., and Lessing Lodge 464 will conduct a Masonic Service at 6:30 p.m.

Memorial Contributions may be made to: American Cancer Society at 5250 Vogel Road, Evansville, IN 47715 or Vanderburgh Humane Society at 400 Millner Industrial Drive, Evansville, IN 47710.

Condolences may be made to the family online at boonefuneralhome.net

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