Bruce Wayne Bastian

Bruce Wayne Bastian

March 23, 1948 - June 16, 2024

PALM SPRINGS, CA - Bruce Wayne Bastian, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, died peacefully in his sleep, the morning of Sunday, June 16 in Palm Springs, California. He succombed to the complications associated with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a disease he battled valiantly for several years.

Bruce was born on March 23, 1948 to Arlon and Una Bastian in Twin Falls, Idaho. He was the fifth of six children, having two older brothers: Lewis and Reese, two older sisters: Connie & Camille and one younger sister, Marieta.

From a young age the parents instilled in their children the significance of giving, as he often observed their father donating groceries from the familiy-owned store to families in need. They were also taught the importance of being honest, giving their best effort, and treating others with fairness and respect, characteristics Bruce would develop and ultimately exemplify throughout his life.

Upon graduating from Twin Falls High School in 1966, Bruce served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Italy. Following his mission Bruce attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

His love of music eventually led to his earning a B.A. degree in Music Education, and provided him the opportunity to direct the BYU Cougar Marching Band, which was honored to play in the inaugural parade for President Richard Nixon. During this time he worked with his Computer Science Instructor, Alan Ashton, to write a program to choreograph marching band performances. He went on to earn an M.A. in Computer Science from BYU.

In 1976 he married Melanie Laycock and together they had four sons. They divorced in 1993 but remained close until her death in 2016.

In 1978 Bruce and Alan introduced a word processing product they had created for the emerging Personal Computer Industry. The product was eventually named WordPerfect, and soon the two men were at the head of a fast-growing enterprise in Orem, Utah. By 1990 WordPerfect Corporation employed over 7,000 people and had become a leading software application globally. In 1994 WordPerfect merged with Novell, and Bruce left his position as Chairman of the company.

He continued to call Utah home for the rest of his life, but also spent part of each year at his flat in London. and later on, in Palm Springs, California.

In 2018 Bruce married Clint Ford, with whom he had a loving relationship for the rest of his life, with Clint giving much time and care for Bruce as his health declined in recent years.

Bruce cared deeply about people and he allowed his empathy and appreciation for others to govern many years of service and financial contribution in various areas, including human rights, humanitarian aid, and the arts. He had the capacity to make those closest to him feel truly special, with his listening ear, his quick wit, and his generosity.

Bruce is preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Lewis and his sister, Connie Embree. He is survived by his husband, Clint Ford, three of his siblings, his four sons: Rick (Heather), Darren (Lisa), Jeff (Cristi), and Robert (Amy) and his 14 grandchildren whom he adored.

We are forever grateful for the indelible mark Bruce left on the community, the world, and our hearts. We know his wish would be for all to carry on with kindness toward others and the courage to be genuine.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, July 5, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the Libby Gardner Concert Hall, 1375 Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City, where viewing and reception will follow until 4:00 p.m. More information may be found online under "Bruce Bastian".