Gary C. Harkness

Gary C. Harkness, 67, of Greene, Rhode Island/Baltimore, Maryland, passed away suddenly on April 23, 2023, with his son by his side. Born on July 29, 1955, in Morristown, New Jersey, Gary was the son of the late Loring and Florence Harkness. Gary spent his childhood in New Jersey and Massachusetts. In 1973, Gary graduated Mountain Lakes High School in New Jersey. Gary went on to attend Penn State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Architectural Engineering in 1978. He then moved to Baltimore, where he began his career as a project engineer working for the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. Gary retired, as a Vice President, from Whiting-Turner after 35 years of dedicated service. He was involved in Baltimore's The Leadership non-profit, a major advocate for minority contractors in the Baltimore metro area and was responsible for the addition to the Maryland Science Center, the ground-up construction of Baltimore's Ravens Stadium, and the renovation of Hippodrome Theatre. Gary met his spouse, Nina, through a mutual friend in 1980. They were married in a small private ceremony in their house on April 17, 1982 in Towson, Maryland. Gary and Nina went on to have 3 children Stephanie, Christine, and John(Jack). In addition to their children, Gary and Nina welcomed 7 dogs into their lives over the course of their 41 year marriage. Gary was an engineer by profession, his true passion was carpentry and home renovations. He had a unique talent for turning a simple house into a work of art, and he spent countless hours working on various renovation projects. In his free time, Gary enjoyed hiking the Appalachian Trail, traveling to his favorite destination of New Orleans, indulging in lobster rolls in Maine, and researching his family's genealogy. Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Loring and Florence, and his five dogs, Maggie, Belle, Luther, Sally, and Oliver. He is survived by his wife, Nina; his children, Stephanie (spouse Joshua), Christine, and John (Jack); his three grandchildren, Max, Lily, and Salvatore (Sal); his two dogs, Chester and Willie; his siblings, Loring, Linda, Suzanne, and Karen; many nieces and nephews; and many friends. Gary's passion, loyalty, and humor will be deeply missed by all who knew him. A memorial service will be held at his home in Rhode Island on his birthday, July 29, 2023. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Gary's memory to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (https://www.outdoors.org/donate/tribute-gifts/).