Stephan Harman

Stephan (Steve) Ambrose Harman born June 2, 1938, died peacefully at his residence

in Boulder, Colorado on July 17, 2026.

Steve was raised in La Crosse, Wisconsin by his parents, Dr. John and Dorothy

Harman. Steve was one of four children, Peter, Steve, Ann, and Paul (Boo). Apart from

school and family chores, Steve got into plenty of mischief with his brothers. He loved to

retell his boyhood shenanigans, sneaking out at night, illegal fireworks, and rolling

boulders down Granddad's Bluff. Steve loved the outdoors; as a teenager he worked as

a lifeguard on the Mississippi River and planted thousands of trees on the family farm.

Steve contracted Polio in high school and spent a year in bed recovering. He was one

of the lucky ones suffering no lasting effects. After high school, Steve married his high

school sweetheart Susan (Sue) Erickson and joined the Navy as a radar technician.

Steve's tanker ship circumnavigated the globe, helped the first nuclear submarine

traverse the north pole, and fueled ships involved in the first and only atmospheric

nuclear explosion over the south pole.

Returning home from the Navy, Steve and Sue hightailed it to Boulder, Colorado to

forge a new life on their own. They had two sons, Eric and Jon, which became the focus

of their lives. Steve was a loyal husband and a good father. He rarely missed a baseball

game or a wrestling match. He took Eric and Jon fishing and often threw the football to

the boys in the front yard. Steve taught Eric and Jon carpentry, plumbing, electrical

work, car mechanics, and countless other life skills. He let the boys make their own

mistakes which taught them not to be afraid to fail.

Growing up in Wisconsin, Steve secretly loved the Green Bay Packers. Sue was from

Minnesota and obviously a Vikings fan. Until the day he died, Steve never let on how

much he loved the Packers.

Steve began his Colorado career flipping hamburgers at McDonalds, before hiring on at

Ball Brothers Aerospace as a drafter. Steve was promoted to lab technician and

ultimately became the manager of the environmental test department where he tested

space hardware to the near zero pressures and cryogenic temperatures. Because tests

ran 24 hours a day for weeks at a time, Steve often worked double shifts and graveyard

shifts. Steve holds the record for most years of service at Ball, fifty-four wonderful years.

Over his long career, he rarely missed a day of work. Steve tested satellites, met

several astronauts, and rubbed shoulders with some of the smartest scientists on the

planet. Steve was a simple man and his favorite people at Ball were the technicians,

who got their hands dirty and the janitors who kept the floors clean. Steve always

respected and admired the "little guys" who came to work every day and worked behind

the scenes.

Loyalty and selflessness defined Steve. The last decade of Sue's life was spent in poor

health, countless hospital visits, surgeries, months in rehab centers, and being

bedbound at home. Steve was always at her side.

After Sue's passing Steve started to show signs of dementia. Steve had wonderful

caregivers that allowed him to stay at home until his death. Steve had great fun with his

caregivers, breakfast and lunch outings, trips to the zoo, taking Opie on a walk, seeing

paragliders land in the park, fishing, trips to the mountains, and people watching at the

mall. Steve lived his best life at home, sleeping in his own bed with his little black dog,

Opie, at his side. Steve became the "adopted grandpa" to his caregivers going to

Thanksgiving dinners, ballets, and peewee basketball games. Eric and Jon were a bit

jealous of Steve's amazing life with his amazing caregivers.

Dementia did not deter Steve from gardening and working in the yard. Stubborn as

ever, apparently a Harman trait, Steve refused to go to bed until every single leaf in the

yard was picked up. 88 years young, Steve raked leaves, watered plants, and trimmed

branches until the last week of his life.

Steve loved babies. Much to the chagrin of his caregivers, at restaurants Steve often

stuck his tongue out at babies to get them to laugh. Steve hated squirrels because they

stole birdseed from his many bird feeders.

We love Steve for the simple, selfless man that he was. We will miss him and we will try

to honor his memory by being a little less selfish, putting others first, not taking life so

seriously, pulling pranks, shooting off fireworks, laughing, and being happy and grateful.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, John and Dorothy Harman, his wife,

Susan, and his older brother, Peter. Steve is survived by his sister, Ann (Stevens)

Harman, his younger brother, Paul (Boo), his two sons, Eric and Jon, Eric's wife,

Michele, his two grandsons, Jeffrey and Jake, his numerous nieces and nephew, and

his little black dog, Opie.

A private service will be held at Flatirons Community Church in Lafayette, CO.

Family and friends are invited to a celebration of life on Tuesday, August 11 th , at 5:00

pm, at 3519 Kirkwood Place, Boulder, CO under Steve's favorite oak tree.

Online condolences can be sent to the family at Greenwood & Myers Mortuary

https://www.greenwoodmyersfuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers, a tree can be planted in memory of Steve. Details can be found at

https://www.greenwoodmyersfuneral.com.