William "Bill" Harwood

William "Bill" Wayne Harwood passed to his eternal reward on July 30, 2015 in Darby, MT.
- September 1930, an infant was found left on the courthouse steps at 10 P.M. in Painesville, Ohio. He was judged to be 3 months of age. He was placed in foster care with Ruth Harwood and given a birthday of July 24, 1930. He remained in Ruth's home and as others came and went, he remained. At age 7, she adopted him and they moved to Pamona, CA where he grew up to be a man who deeply loved his mother. He married Wanetta Bentley and they had six sons. Bill worked in a variety of jobs including as a Sears repairman, car salesman, furniture retail sales and as a warehouse foreman. He has always had a great gift with both people and animals and had a great sense of humor.
After a divorce he moved to Colorado Springs where he met and married Dr. Emma (Shook) Gibson and adopted her two daughters. The family enjoyed the Colorado outdoors and took many motor home trips together, one of the few ways they could all get into one vehicle.
He opened an antique restoration business and was a master at repair and restoration. He worked early mornings and late nights in his shop and ran kids to ball practices, band practices and other activities. He was active in the Candlelighters, a support group for parents of kids with cancer, and he was the reason the group had a strong father participation. And always he was a strong supporter of Emma and her career in medicine, and all of his kid's activities.
He was active in the Conner Wesleyan Church, serving on the board and as head usher for a number of years. He will be remembered for his pleasant greetings and for the suckers he slipped to the kids.
He is preceded in death by his son Mike Harwood, his mother, Ruth Harwood and sister Juanita Schmucker.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Emma Harwood of Darby MT; son, Wayne Harwood of Roseburg, OR., son Steve Harwood (Jocelyn), of Sutherlin, OR., son, David Harwood (May) of Longmont, CO., son, Daniel Harwood (Kandy) of Roseburg, OR., son, Mark Harwood (Tracey) of Roseburg OR., daughter, Donna Harwood of Boise, ID., daughter, Karen Mathiason (Matthew) of Missoula, MT; 24 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. He is greatly loved by family and numerous friends.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday, August 4, 2 PM at the Conner Wesleyan Church.