Harry Liggett very seriously ill

BJ Alums blog founder Harry Liggett, BJ newsroom retiree, has been hit with cancer and dementia, according to his son.

The reply from Bob Liggett, Harry's son, to my inquiry when I didn't hear from Harry for nearly two months:

"Dad is at Select Specialty Hospital on West Market Street near downtown. Across the street from Haven of Rest. He has had two surgeries. Had cancer. They might move Dad to a rehab place in Copley today or early next week. Dad also came down with a case of dementia. Currently his room is 211. Thank u for asking."

Harry had surgeries at Akron General Hospital in late August.

Ohio State graduate Harry attended his Dennison High School reunion in July. He was assistant news editor at the BJ but is better known for being a part of the crack 1970s State Desk team under the whip of the late Pat Englehart, who died in Florida in 1995. Pat was the whirlwind commander; Harry came along and reorganized the debris.

John Olesky was the third member of the terrific triumvirate. John joined the BJ at the age of 38, but Pat and Harry in less than a decade taught John more about how to be a good newspaper editor than John had learned in all his previous years combined.

 Harry is a long-time member of St. Paul Catholic Church on Brown Street in Akron and lives on Firestone Boulevard.

The great love of Harry's life is Helen Smolak Liggett, daughter of Czech immigrants. She passed away June 26, 2010. She was born Nov. 15, 1930 in Perry Township in Carroll County. Helen was a 1948 graduate of Immaculate Conception High School in Dennison. She is buried in Akron's Holy Cross Cemetery.

Harry and Helen were married in the Immaculate Conception Church in 1956. They moved to Akron when Harry was hired by the Beacon Journal in 1965. 

Since Helen's death, Harry's Facebook page has been adorned with photos of Helen and her beloved flowers on the Liggett property and tributes to her from Harry.

Harry and Helen have two sons.



Harry Liggett, John Olesky in retirement

Tom Liggett is Community Pregnancy Center director of development and a graduate of Hoban High and the University of Akron. He is married to Susan and lives in Akron.


Bob Liggett works at KeyCorp. He also is a Hoban and University of Akron graduate, in accounting. Bob lives in Akron. 

Harry dotes on his granddaughters, often skipping BJ retirees lunches at Papa Joe's on Akron-Peninsula Road to be with them.



Harry attended granddaughter St. Vincent-St. Mary freshman Anna Teresa Liggett's performance at a St. V-St. M summer camp production of "The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ring" in July. Erin Catherine, Anna's sister, is another granddaughter. Their parents are Tom and Sue Liggett.

Harry's passion for accurate, concise reporting was legendary. Hopefully, this article meets Harry's standards.