Westfield Recreation Specialist Dies At 28, Township Says

WESTFIELD, NJ - Westfield’s recreation programs specialist, Lauren Harmer, died Saturday at her home in Westfield, according to her obituary.

The 28-year-old Westfield resident and longtime recreation department member first joined the recreation department as a seasonal counselor in the playground program from 2014 to 2018, eventually taking on a full-time role with the recreation department in September 2018, the township said.

Harmer worked in various roles at the recreation department during her tenure, including office clerk, special events coordinator, playground program director, memorial pool manager and lifelong Westfield program coordinator, township officials said. Harmer additionally ran the senior transport service and other senior programs to ensure Westfield's older residents could attend doctors' appointments, according to her obituary.

“Lauren was a friendly and reliable voice to children and seniors alike and cared deeply about her role in Recreation and the programming she helped to deliver for the community. Oftentimes, Lauren was found playing right alongside the campers, in the dunk tank, or with pie on her face for the annual camp fundraisers,” the recreation department said in a statement.

A GoFundMe has been set up in Harmer's memory, intended to provide scholarships to students at Westfield High School and establish a memorial garden. As of Friday morning, the fundraiser has amassed over $21,000.

Harmer was a graduate of East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a degree in recreation service management in 2018, according to her LinkedIn profile. She previously worked as a bookkeeper at Carteret Eye Care while in high school.

A viewing will be held Saturday and Sunday at Dooley Colonial Home on 556 Westfield Avenue in Westfield from 4 to 8 p.m. A mass in her honor will be held on Monday at St. Helen’s Church in Westfield at 10 a.m.