Officers and Board Members

Pat Harrison Fluetsch became involved with the Harlan Family Board in 2003 when she attended a planning meeting for the 2007 Reunion in Reno, Nevada. Pat ended up co-chairing Reunion 320 and became a board member in 2007. Through the urging of other board members and with the suppport of her husband, Mike, who passed away in 2013, Pat accepted the Presidency of our Association in 2012.

Pat has been interested in her Harlan family history since fourth grade when she heard stories from her Grandfather Leroy Harlan, about his father Elisha crossing the country as a 4 year old boy in the Harlan wagon train lead by her great, great grandfather George Harlan. She is proud to be in the fifth generation of "The Harlan Family in California." Pat spent over 32 years teaching young children. She also mentored new teachers and gave presaentaions on effective teaching strategies to teachers locally, statewide and nationally. In 1993 she was named her school district's teacher of the year.

Pat enjoys spending time with her family. Her son Chris, his wife Erika and their children Helen and Clara live in Davis, Ca. Her daughter Sarah, her husband Ed and their sons Edward and Keegan live in Stockton, CA. She loves to travel, spend time with friends, and volunteer in her community.

Fred has been interested in Harlan history since a young age having been introduced to it by his grandfather David Franklin Harlan, who was raised in the western Pa. village of Harlansburg. David had a taped together paper family tree that took up most of the room when rolled out. Fred remembers many times studying that document.

With Jim and Sue Harlan, his uncle and aunt, already involved with the Harlan Family in America, Fred volunteered to take over maintaining the Harlan Family genealogy database from Ester Wells in 2006. The first reunion Fred attended was the 2007 Reno reunion, while many of his immediate family attended Reunion 300 in 1987. Being encouraged by Junior Harlan, Fred joined the Board in 2011. Fred currently helps as the website coordinator and still maintains the genealogy database.

After 40 years working at an electrical generating station Fred retired and started a new career supporting some software he learned at the power plant. He is extensively involved with the First Church of God in New Castle, Pa. and spends lots of time with his grandchildren, much of that at a court, a ballfield or camping in the mountains of Pennsylvania.

Robert R. (Bob) Harlan is a native Californian and is the son of the late Ridge Harlan, who is a Board Member Emeritus. Ridge had served as a founding member and President during the 1990's.

Bob attended the first reunion (actually number 300) in 1987 in Delaware and when Ridge stepped down from his President's position in 1998, Bob stepped in and served in that position until 2012. He continues to be an active board member today.

Bob graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from The University of Missouri-Columbia in 1977 and spent his career in managing and later owning radio stations. In 2014, he switched careers and became Executive Director of Yuba-Sutter-Colusa United Way in Yuba City, California.

Bob married his wife, Robyn, in 1976 and they have one son, Scott, who lives with his wife in Southern California, where he is an attorney.

Scott is the son of former Harlan Family in America President and current Board Member Robert “Bob” Ridge Harlan and his wife Robyn Harlan. He is the grandson of former Harlan Family in America President and Co-Founding Member Ridge Latimer Harlan. Scott lives in Irvine California with his loving and much more competent and capable attorney wife, Tiffany Wang Harlan, along with their Chinese Shar-Pei Barry Harlan. He has attended 5 family reunions to date. He is a Libra, born Year of the Dragon 1988.

Scott is a business and general civil litigation attorney practicing throughout California, out of his office in Orange County. He previously worked as an attorney for two insurance defense law firms where he represented numerous Fortune 100/500 companies and many more businesses and individual clients. He also worked at a private criminal defense law office in Laguna Hills, California as a Certified Law Clerk. Before attending law school, Mr. Harlan gained valuable experience as a Congressional Law Clerk for Congressman Wally Herger, a 13-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, in his District 2, Chico, California office.

Scott grew up in Yuba City, California. He loves sports and is a dedicated Giants, 49ers, Warriors and Sharks fan. He obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Western State College of Law in Orange County, California, and attended Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana where he graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Political Science and a minor in Civic Leadership. Mr. Harlan was a member of the NCAA Division-I baseball team during his time as an Indiana State Sycamore.

Scott is excited to join the Board with a goal to represent the younger generation of Harlans. He hopes to carry on the unique and incredible Harlan family history and increase participation with generations of Harlans to come.

Tony Harlan became a board member in 2022. Tony's brother, Tim Harlan, introduced him to Harlan genealogy in the 1990's. Tim was able to trace their ancestry back to George #3.  Many interesting stories and facts came out of that research such as, cousins captured by Indians, a cousin who died on Lake Erie during the war of 1812 and the Studebaker connection.  Tony and his wife Debby attended the 2017 reunion in Philadelphia where they learned of a pending family heritage trip to England and Northern Ireland. They joined their cousins in 2018 and were able to trace some of the footsteps their ancestors took prior to arriving in America in 1687. A highlight of the trip was standing in St Peters Church (dates back to 674AD) where George#3 was baptized.

Tony and Debby were on the Lexington planning committee and provided all of the advertising and promotional products for the 2022 reunion. 

Tony and Debby reside in Lewis Run, PA, a small town in Northwestern PA. Tony worked in the Oil and Gas industry for 39 years, conducting drilling projects worldwide.  He retired as a Vice President of Drilling for an independent oil and gas company in 2019.  Tony and Debby are members of Saint Bernard’s in Bradford PA.  They enjoy traveling, hiking, biking, fishing, cooking, golfing and, spending time with their children and family.

Ed was elected to the Board in June 2022 after participating in two of the reunion planning sessions and Board meetings.

Ed’s Harlan connection is his grandmother, Bernice Harlan Hill, who died before he was born. However, Bernice had a younger sister, Juanita Harlan Cox, who lived to the age of 93 and inspired Ed to learn more about his Harlan family. Ed’s dad, also Ed Hill, always kept up with extended family, including Harlan extended cousins.

Ed grew up near Louisville, in Henry County. He is an attorney and CPA and recently retired after 31+ years as an attorney for Mercer (US), Inc. He and his wife Karen have a daughter, who lives in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, a son and daughter-in-law, who live in Lexington, Kentucky, a four-year old grandson, and a grandson on the way. He volunteers for two botanical gardens and is an officer for the Louisville Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution.

Mary’s paternal grandparents were both descendants of George Harlan. Her grandfather gathered much of the Chester County information on the early Harlans from County and Friends Meeting records and sent them to Alpheus Harlan for inclusion in the "Green Book". So, to her, genealogy has been a life-long interest.

Mary was born in Pennsylvania and his lived in the area where the first Harlans settled all her life. After receiving a BA from Rosemont College and an MA from Villanova University , she taught Mathematics for 11 years before changing careers, going to Medical School and then practicing Emergency Medicine until retirement. Her husband, William Murphy, died after 40 years of wonderful marriage. Besides genealogy, Mary’s interests include travel, reading, cooking and involvement with her church community.

Dorothy Harlan Sperry came on the Board in 2011. Dorothy’s father, James Udell Harlan, was born near and raised in Salisbury, MO. After WWII, he moved the family from St. Louis, MO to Clarinda, IA, where Dorothy was born and grew up. She graduated from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, with a B.S. in Institution Management—School Food Service. As a Registered Licensed Dietitian, she worked as a Consultant Dietitian in small hospitals and long term care centers, had a private practice with a fellow dietitian, taught at two community colleges, and was a therapeutic dietitian in a medium security men’s prison.

Dorothy has always had a strong interest in food and cooking, and her first duty with the Harlan Family organization was to plan and coordinate the meals for the national reunion held in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in 1997. She has also compiled/edited both editions of the Harlan Family Favorite Recipes cookbooks. Dorothy and her husband, Bob, live in Ames and Bob is a retired civil engineer. They have two grown sons, a daughter, and 4 granddaughters, ranging in age from 8 months to 13 years. In her free time, Dorothy enjoys reading, quilting, playing bridge, cooking for company, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Bob Walters became a board member in 2020. Bob's mother, Louise Myers Harlan, descendent of Michael Harlan, was born in Stanton, DE, not far from where George and Michael originally settled. Although Louise was aware of the history of the Harlans in the U.S., she never had the opportunity to attend a national reunion. Unfortunate, because she would have loved to meet and come to know her many Harlan cousins. Bob attended the 2002 reunion with his family in Wilmington, DE which motivated him to learn more of the family history. Bob and his wife Denise joined the Harlan Tour of England and Northern Ireland in 2018 and count it among their best and most memorable trips.

Bob and Denise reside in Blue Bell, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. Bob worked for IQVIA, formerly IMS Health, for over 25 years, primarily in program and project management for product development. Denise works as a Data Base Administrator for Cerner. He and Denise are heavily involved in their church, First Presbyterian of Ambler and volunteer for several other local non-profits. They enjoy traveling, hiking, museums and especially, spending time with their adult children and other family.