Dr. Glen Eugene "Bud" Harland Jr.

Dr. Glen Eugene "Bud" Harland, Jr., age 86, died at home on Friday, January 3rd after a brief illness.  He was born on January 30, 1933 to Glen E. Harland, Sr., and Wilma Mackey Harland, in Salina, Kansas. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Jeanne’ (Deines) Harland.

Glen graduated from Salina High School, Salina, Kansas in 1951 and served in the Navy Air Reserve from 1951 to 1953 and the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955, at which time he received an honorable discharge.  He was in the infantry and tank corps. From 1955 to 1964, Glen attended Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, during which time he earned Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Physics.  He then worked at Delco Electronics in Advanced Development from 1964 until his retirement in 1987.  He was awarded twelve patents for automotive electronic and semiconductor device inventions and was the first person to receive the Boss Kettering Award for inventions of significance to General Motors in 1977.  During his years at Delco, Glen also taught mathematics as an adjunct faculty member at Indiana University, Kokomo. 

After retiring from Delco, Glen joined the Electrical Engineering Technology Department at Purdue University Kokomo as a full-time faculty member.  He retired from the university in 2007 as a full professor and was awarded Professor Emeritus status. His many memberships included the Kokomo Engineering Society, IEEE, Sigma Xi Scientific Honorary, American Association of Electrical Engineers, Instrument Society of America, Chapter 152 Air Force Association and a trustee of the Grissom Air Museum.  He was a faithful supporter of the Purdue 400 club where he and his wife endowed an annual scholarship through the Community Foundation of Howard County.

Glen loved being with his family and enjoyed raising fruit trees and working in the woods.   He also loved animals, especially his cats. There wasn’t a handyman job he couldn’t conquer and he made sure his daughters learned to use power tools safely and proficiently.   For many years he tutored both high school and college students in math and physics classes free of charge. His favorite food groups were chocolate, donuts, and Dr. Pepper.

Also surviving are two daughters and two sons-in-law, Dr. Lynn Harland and her husband  Dr. Harmon Maher Jr., Omaha, Nebraska, Leslie Harland and her husband, Bill Farris, Richmond, Virginia, one sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Bill Carroll of Salina, Kansas, two grandsons, Ian and Ayden Maher, one granddaughter, Tera Maher, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Dorothy Lillie and Shirley Tedford.

Friends and family may call at Shirley & Stout Funeral Home, 1315 W. Lincoln Rd, Kokomo from 4:00 – 6:00 pm Thursday, January 9th for a celebration of Glen’s life. Military funeral honors and time for sharing will begin at 6:00 pm.  The family looks forward to hearing from anyone who would like to share remembrances of Glen.  Messages of Condolence may be left online at www.shirleyandstout.com.

Those who so desire may make memorial donations in honor of Glen to the Kokomo Humane Society at 729 E. Hoffer St. or to the Glen and Jeanné Harland Scholarship Endowment Fund at the Community Foundation of Howard County (215 Sycamore St., Kokomo, IN or cfhoward.org).

Although Glen did not subscribe to any particular religious affiliation, he always respected the beliefs of others.  He was a patient, honorable man who believed in making the world better by doing “what needs to be done” without the expectation of thanks or praise.  He also believed that there was hope for every person to do that.  Family and friends will remember him as a wise, kind, and gentle giant of a man.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.