Bruce Farster, 93, passed away peacefully June 23 at Harney District Hospital, surrounded by his family.

Bruce was born Feb. 8, 1924, in Burlington, Colo., to Ord and Belva Farster, the youngest of five children.

Bruce moved to Harney County in 1928 and  stayed in the area, except when he was in the Pacific Theater in the United States Marine Corps during World War II.  The Farster family moved from Colorado to help build the Edward Hines Lumber Company sawmill in Hines. His father and oldest brother, Burdette, helped construct the mill and worked in it after it was constructed.

Bruce attended Hines Grade School and Burns Union High School, graduating in 1941.

After Pearl Harbor, he joined the U.S. Marines and served in the Pacific with several combat landings to include Tarawa.

Upon returning from WWII, he came home to Hines and went to work at the mill, pulling the green chain and advanced to be a master grader and the head grader for the Hines mill. In 1946, he met, fell in love, and married Mary L. Bushman on Feb. 3, 1947.  They lived in Burns in an apartment, where they met their life-long friends, Louis and Doris Yriarte. They moved to their first house in Hines in 1948, and then to their long-time residence just below the Hines Middle School. Since late February 2017, Bruce and Mary have resided at The Aspens.

Bruce and Mary celebrated 70 years of marriage in 2017.

Bruce served the community in many ways. He joined the Hines Volunteer Fire Department in 1947, and in 1981, became the Hines fire chief until he retired in 1991. He also was a long-time member of the International Order of Odd Fellows, the Elks Club and a lifetime member of the VFW. He also served as the financial secretary of AFL-CIO Lumber & Carpenters Union Local 2902 for many years.

Bruce loved to hunt, fish, and generally be in the outdoors, especially with his family and longtime hunting partners Dwight Gunther and Chuck Davis. Bruce and Mary spent a lot of time driving and camping around the hills and valleys of Harney County and the surrounding area. They traveled to New Zealand, Europe, Mexico, and went on many cruises, including going through the Panama Canal. Bruce and Mary attended numerous 2nd Marine Division reunions abroad and in the United States.

Bruce is survived by his wife, Mary; son, Daniel Farster and wife, Pauline Price; daughter, Pamela Farster and husband, David Clark; four grandchildren, Meredith Farster (Kevin Johnson and two great-granddaughters, Amelia and Natalie Johnson), Nathaniel Clark, Benjamin Farster (Sarah Farster and two great-grandsons, Owen and Samuel), Justin Clark; plus numerous nieces and nephews, sisters-in-law, and brothers in-law. Bruce had no surviving parents or siblings.

A graveside memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 17, in the Burns Cemetery by the flag pole.  A luncheon will follow at the Burns Elks Lodge No. 1680.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your favorite charity in Bruce’s name.

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