Vernon L. ‘Lanny’ Harchenhorn, a Carroll County attorney and former House of Delegates member, dies

Vernon L. “Lanny” Harchenhorn, a Carroll County attorney and former member of the House of Delegates, died Jan. 9 at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center of complications from a December automobile accident. The New Windsor resident was 76.

Vernon Lanny Harchenhorn — who was known as “Lanny” — the son of Vernon Harky Harchenhorn, an automobile mechanic, and his wife, Ruth Viola Strine Harchenhorn, was born in Baltimore and raised in New Windsor.

He was a 1961 graduate of Francis Scott Key High School and earned an associate’s degree from Frederick Community College and a bachelor’s degree in 1967 from what is now McDaniel College.

Mr. Harchenhorn obtained his law degree in 1970 from the University of Maryland School of Law and was admitted to the Maryland Bar that year. He was the state’s attorney for Carroll County from 1970 to 1974. A Republican, he was elected in 1974 to the House of Delegates, where he served until 1986. He was a member of the judiciary committee and chaired the Carroll County delegation from 1971 to 1975.

Mr. Harchenhorn, who maintained a general legal practice in New Windsor, and had not retired at his death, was a member and former president of the Carroll County Bar Association and the Maryland and American bar associations. He was also a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity and Pi Gamma Mu National Social Science Honor Society.

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He was a member of the Smithsonian Society, New Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. and Charles Carroll Lions Club, and had been a lifelong member of the Carroll County Historical Society.

He enjoyed collecting antique cars and sports cars and auto racing. He was a Rolling Stones fan and had recently attended their Washington concert, family members said. He was also a dog lover.

Mr. Harchenhorn had been a communicant of Ascension Episcopal Church in Westminster and attended the Edgewood Church of the Brethren in New Windsor.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home, 91 Willis St., Westminster.

He is survived by two sons, Vernon John Harchenhorn of Parkton and Hans William Harchenhorn of New Windsor; a brother, Terry Harchenhorn of Keymar; a sister, Linda Bostian of Union Bridge; three nieces; and his secretary and close friend, Kristina Krause of Carroll County. His marriage to the former Margaret Koelber ended in divorce.