Earl J. Harness, 88, of Elkhart, died April 16, 2014 in Warsaw Meadows Care Center, Warsaw, Indiana. He was born Sept. 4, 1925 in South Bend, Indiana to the late James and Nellie (Jenkins) Harness. Following graduation from South Bend Central High School, Earl enlisted in the US Navy where he served honorably in the South Pacific from 1942-1946. He was a longtime employee of the Bendix Corporation, retiring at the age of 52 in 1979. Earl was preceded in death by his first wife, Billyann (Sutton) Harness in 1987. In 1989, he married Jean Harlacher in South Bend.
Jean survives, along with his children; Kirk (Jayne) Harness of Florida, Kerry (Kip) Czock of Elkhart, and Kay (Wesley) Weisenberger of Indiana, and his step-children, Steven Anderson and Linda (Dave) Mauser, both of Elkhart. Also surviving are several grandchildren and great grandchildren, along with his sisters Carol Osborne of San Antonio, Texas and Marilyn (Paul) Emmons of Osceola, Indiana. Earl was preceded in death by his son Kyle Harness in 2003, and his siblings John, James, Richard and Betty.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the 1:00 pm funeral service on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at Chapel Hill Funeral Home in Osceola. Interment will be at Highland Cemetery in South Bend.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the Alzheimer''s and Dementia Services of Northern Indiana 922 E. Colfax Drive, South Bend, Indiana 46617