Bruce Eugene Harshman, age 88, a longtime Lyman resident, passed away on March 25, 2012, at his home. He was born on October 2, 1923 in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, to Ralph and Vera (Fox) Harshman. During World War II, Bruce was a paratrooper, serving at the Battle of the Bulge and at Normandy, receiving the Purple Heart. After the war, on March 2, 1946, he was united in marriage to June Kom, in Thompson Falls, Montana. Bruce worked building dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, sometimes commuting many miles to come home for a day off. The family moved to Hamilton in 1975, and finally to Lyman in 1988. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mount Vernon Stake. He loved fishing, going so far as to make his own poles and even lures. Bruce is survived by his wife of 66 years, June, of the family home; four children, Daniel Harshman and his wife Arlene, of Hayward, CA, Christine Olson, of Lyman, Catherine Staley and her husband Robert, of Marysville, WA, and Michael Harshman and his wife Twila, of Kennewick, WA; a half-brother, Eugene Harshman, a half-sister, Roberta Marshall and 2 nieces, Pamela and Denise Sato, all of Tacoma, WA; 9 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Viola Fowler; sister, Mildred Sato; and half-sister, Judy Taylor. A Graveside Service with Military Honors will be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, March 29, 2012, at the Hamilton Cemetery with Brother Scott Farmer dedicating the grave.

Grave marker of Bruce E. Harshman in the Hamilton Cemetery, Hamilton (Skagit county), Washington.

Bruce enlisted in the Army at Seattle, WA on 20 March 1943.

On 28 August 1943 Pvt Harshman was transferred the Parachute School, Ft. Benning, GA to from to Company D, 508th PIR.

Pvt Harshman was wounded in action on 10 January 1945 and was evacuated to a fields hospital.

He returned to Company D when he was transferred from the 19th Reinforcement Depot on 28 May 1945..

His military decorations include the Purple Heart and Bronze Service Arrowhead device awarded for his participation in the Normandy assault,