Lynn Clark Harshbarger

Lynn Clark Harshbarger, age 80, of Ririe, passed away at his home Sunday, February 6, 2022.

Lynn was born February 28, 1941 in St. Anthony, Idaho a son to Clark and Laura Faye Abegglen Harshbarger. He attended schools in Driggs, Rexburg and Burley, Idaho and graduated from Burley High School in the class of 1959. He worked on the family farms in Felt, Burley and Howe, Idaho. He participated in several different extra-curricular activities while in high school, including FFA. He loved the outdoors in his youth and told many stories of hunting, fishing and camping. He was also an aviation enthusiast and was part owner in a small airplane with family for several years. He was passionate about ham radio and extolled the virtues of that hobby to almost everyone he met.

Lynn married Jean Leona McKenzie in the Idaho Falls Temple on February 22, 1974. They lived in several places in Idaho and Utah including Pocatello, Idaho and Logan, Payson and Castle Dale, Utah. They did not stay in any one place for more than a few years. During this time Lynn and Jean welcomed 5 children into their home. Lynn worked various jobs including as a farm hand for Baker Farm Corporation and a truck driver for Hatch Co. and Jack B. Kelley. They settled more permanently in Taylorsville, Utah where the resided for 8 years. Lynn was injured in a car accident and was forced into an early retirement on disability.

Despite physical limitations, Lynn still put forth effort to be productive both at church and at home. Although, he was not actively attending church during this period of his life, he was diligent in fulfilling the responsibilities of his church callings. He adapted to being a stay-at-home dad. His duties in the home included cooking, housekeeping and being a taxi service.

Lynn never felt at home during the time that he resided in Utah and was able to finally return to his roots; in what he referred to as, the promised land. Lynn, Jean and their two youngest children moved on to a small acreage near the town of Weiser, Idaho. Living in the rural community of Weiser seemed to revitalize Lynn. He renewed his interest in activities from his past including farming and ham radio. He returned to full activity with the LDS church and attended regularly for the remainder of his life.

After the death of his first wife, Lynn found happiness again when he met Jacqueline Richardson Mason. They were married in front of family and friends on October 30, 2004. Lynn and Jacque remained in Weiser until his youngest son graduated from high school. Although leaving Weiser, Lynn stayed true to his roots and settled down in another rural farming community outside of the little town of Rupert, Idaho. Together with his second wife, they raised several acres of alfalfa to feed a small herd of miniature horses. Lynn’s happily ever after he hoped to find with Jacque was not meant to be and they subsequently divorced after seven years of marriage.

Lynn found himself in hard times after his divorce, but was taken in by his daughter Emily and her husband Duffin. He lived with them in Idaho Falls, Idaho and, after a time, in Ririe, Idaho. While in Ririe, Lynn dove head first into his favorite hobby of ham radio. He became active with the local ham radio club and eventually earned his extra class license. He assisted other ham radio enthusiasts by helping administer license tests.

Lynn, though active in his community through church and his ham radio club, found there was still something missing in his life. He found the piece he was missing in Glady Fay Garrett. They were married on October 31, 2016. Lynn moved to Portland, Oregon. He missed the country living that he had become accustomed to over the last several years, but with his new loving companion, he was content. Lynn and Fay left Portland behind and started their next chapter together in Mountain Home, Idaho. Lynn had dabbled in genealogy at various times in his life. Both he and Fay spent much of their free time in Mountain Home working on genealogy both at home and at church. Lynn and Fay found their health diminishing in their advancing age. Tragically, Fay, passed away in May of 2020.

Lynn returned to Ririe for the remaining years of his life. He found it easy to carry on conversations with people around him. He loved to share stories from his past. Places he had been and lived, people he had known and worked with and things that he had done were all available topics for which he reminisced.

Lynn was preceded in death by his parents, his wives, his sister Cheryl Smith and his son Richard. He is survived by his children Emily Jean (Duffin) Cox of Rigby, Idaho, Jacob McKenzie Harshbarger of Parma, Idaho, Orville Earl (Paige) Harshbarger of Clover, South Carolina, and William Christian Harshbarger of Rigby, Idaho, a sister Connie Faye Harshbarger of Howe, Idaho and two brothers Larry Earl (Bernita) Harshbarger of Carey, Idaho and Roger Kay (Mary) Harshbarger of Idaho Falls, Idaho and his grandchildren: Hailey Dunne, Dylan Dunne, Coltin Harshbarger, and Bryce Harshbarger.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. in the Ririe Stake Center.  The family will visit with friends at the stake center from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m.  Interment will take place at the Carey, Idaho Cemetery at 2:30 p.m.  Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com