Obituary: James B. Harmon
Scarborough Community Loses Beloved Artist and “Beach Bum” James B. Harmon
Scarborough, Maine – James “Jimmy” B. Harmon, an 83‑year‑old longtime resident of Scarborough, died peacefully at his home on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. The loss was felt by a wide circle of family, friends, and neighbors who celebrated a life filled with art, adventure, and a deep love of the sea.
Harmon was born in Portland on April 20, 1943, to parents John and Thelma (Baker) Harmon. He grew up in Scarborough, graduating from the local high school before making neighborhood deliveries for his parents’ family market, Harmon’s Market. A boy with a particular fondness for the beach, Jimmy spent countless hours at Scarborough Beach, often bringing home rescued animals—including a pet seal he named “Suzie.” His early life was a blend of seaside leisure and a budding sense of community service.
After high school, Jimmy enlisted in the United States Navy, serving from 1968 to 1970. He returned home with a new appreciation for creativity and enrolled at both the Boston School of Art and the Portland School of Art, where he honed his skill in watercolor landscapes. “The watercolors were my outlet,” he once said, a sentiment echoed by those who saw his work in family gatherings.
Although art was his passion, Jimmy’s career was rooted in industry. He spent 32 years with Weyerhauser, a local manufacturing company, contributing to the community’s economic life. “Work was a steady rhythm, but the real joy was in the paint,” he told a friend in 2015. He was also renowned among neighbors for his culinary talents and effortless hosting skills, turning any meal into a gathering.
In 1984, Jimmy married Peggy Rioux at his childhood home. The couple raised their daughter, Aili, in the same house and shared a love of outdoor activities. They owned a rustic cabin in Stratton, affectionately called “Pukin Mauna,” where weekends were filled with cross‑country skiing, forest walks, downhill adventures, and, during summer, the creation of elaborate flower gardens. Birds regularly visited their feeders, adding a chorus of chirps to the garden’s serenity.
Travel was another cornerstone of Jimmy’s life. He and Peggy explored destinations such as South Carolina, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Spain, and embarked on a memorable Midwest road trip with friends. Highlights included skiing in Colorado with longtime companion Michael Reid and fishing for salmon in Alaska, an experience he cherished with the same enthusiasm he had for his beach days.
Family was the heart of Jimmy’s world. He was proud of his daughter and her husband, Matt, and of his four grandchildren—Henley, Waylon, Wade, and Willis—who “made his world” according to family members. Beach trips were a family tradition; Jimmy would cheer them on from the sand, always with a sweet treat in hand to reward their adventures.
Known to friends as the “Beach Bum,” Jimmy embodied the phrase through his love of sun, surf, and the simple joy of sharing a day at the shore with loved ones.
Jimmy predeceased his parents John and Thelma, brother Steve, brother‑in‑law Robert Abbott, and nephew Robbie Abbott. He is survived by wife Peggy, daughter Aili (married to Matt), his grandchildren, brother John, sister Judy (married to Ernie), and niece Stacey (and her sons Tucker, Sayler, and Sullivan Conley).
A celebration of life will take place Saturday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. on Jimmy’s homestead in Scarborough. In lieu of flowers, family and friends are encouraged to make a donation to Camp Sunshine at Sebago Lake, an organization close to Jimmy’s heart, via the link: https://www.campsunshine.org/donate-today.
James Harmon’s legacy lives on in the vibrant paintings he left behind, the memories he forged on beaches and in the woods, and the generations of his family who will carry his spirit forward.
