J 935: Mourning the death of Dr. Laura D. Harckham, distinguished educator, community advocate and longtime resident of Rockland County

 Senate Resolution No. 935 BY: Senator HARCKHAM MOURNING the death of Dr. Laura D. Harckham, distinguished educator, community advocate and longtime resident of Rockland County WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to individuals of great character whose lives exemplified selfless service to their community and whose accomplishments leave a lasting legacy; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is moved to mourn the passing of Dr. Laura D. Harckham, a distinguished educator, community advocate, and longtime resident of Rockland County, New York, who died on March 3, 2025, at the age of 98; and WHEREAS, Born in the City of New York in 1926, Laura D. Harckham was a product of the city's vibrant intellectual life; she earned her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Queens College and later attained a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Fordham University, marking the beginning of a remarkable career in higher education; and WHEREAS, Throughout her career, Dr. Laura D. Harckham taught educational testing at several colleges and universities, served with distinction as a dean at Rockland Community College, consulted for school districts, and mentored doctoral candidates, thereby shaping the minds and lives of countless students and educators; and WHEREAS, Dr. Laura D. Harckham and her beloved husband of 67 years, Arthur Harckham, raised their family in Rockland County, where they were active members of the community; they later relocated to Connecticut, but her contributions and ties to Rockland remained enduring; and WHEREAS, In addition to her professional endeavors, Dr. Laura D. Harckham was deeply committed to civic causes; she championed civil rights and mental health, supported integration efforts, served with the League of Women Voters in Dallas, Texas, and played a vital role on the library board in New City, New York; and WHEREAS, A woman of broad interests and boundless energy, Dr. Laura D. Harckham was an avid reader, an enthusiastic traveler, and a lover of tennis, dining, and spirited gatherings with family and friends; she will also be affectionately remembered for her fondness for chocolate and her good-natured battles over lobster rolls with her great-granddaughter, Phoebe; and WHEREAS, Dr. Laura D. Harckham's memory will be cherished by her loving family, including her sons, Jared (Alejandro Hernandez), Finley (Palmer Sloan), and Peter (Jin Hee Stevens); her five grandchildren, Spike (Eleni Petrow), Heath (Malorie Cunningham), Haley (Tim McDermott), Emma (Mike Dixon), and Kate (Ryan Frantzis); and her great-granddaughter, Phoebe, along with two more great-grandchildren expected in June; and WHEREAS, Dr. Laura D. Harckham leaves behind a legacy of compassion, intelligence, and public service which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all who were privileged to have known and loved such an amazing woman; she will be deeply missed and truly merits the grateful tribute of this Legislative Body; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of Dr. Laura D. Harckham, and to express its deepest condolences to her family; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Dr. Laura D. Harckham.