Presenting Hotelie Hall of Fame Story - John D. Harney ‘56
Excerpt from John's story...
John Harney was born outside of Cleveland in 1930. The Depression and family tragedies shattered his family. He was farmed out to relatives at age 8. The first relative was truly a farmer. John did not like plucking potatoes in the cold ground, so he moved to Manchester, VT to an uncle that had several country inns. There he fell in love with hotels. Also he fell in love with the love of his life: Elyse. She encouraged him to apply to Cornell after his Korean War service.
That was a special time at the Hotel School with many older students and many with families already. The staff at the School were so kind to him and his growing family. Important staff members: Edna Osborn, Mary Loughnan and Helen Ayers were the linchpins for veterans returning to school. The government deferred GI Bills funding, so money was a scramble. Everyone had two jobs, Chuck Feeney maybe had three, but faculty and friends all pulled together. At that time Bob Beck (later Dean Beck ) taught accounting and John became his Teaching Assistant. By 1956 John & Elyse had two babies and the entire student loan fund with his last semester unfunded. Dean Meek gave John a special project so that he could finish early. The Hotel School was where he made many lifelong friends. read more