Clarence Harding Furman

Clarence Harding Furman

Man of God, Clarence Harding Furman, known as Barney to all who knew and loved him, was promoted to Heaven at 11:49 am on New Years Eve 2020 at the Palmer Pioneer Home.

Barney was born in 1922 to Atwood and Nellie (Onderdonk) Furman in Hillburn, NY, where he spent his youth. In 1949, after service with the US Army, he graduated from The King’s College in New Castle, Delaware intending to return to Japan as a missionary. Instead, he answered a call to Alaska to help build a children’s home in Kasilof where he met his future bride, Ruth Keller, in 1951. When she returned to the lower 48 to serve at Espanola Hospital in New Mexico, he ministered in Chignik and Holikachuk. Then in 1954 he followed his heart to Espanola and they were married on December 17 in her hometown, Clearfield, PA.

Returning to Alaska, they joined Arctic Missions, now known as Interact, and faithfully served God and the people of Alaska for the next 50 years in the villages of Shageluk, and Pedro Bay, at Victory High School, and at Multi-Media center on Lazy Mountain. Wherever they lived their home was always open to all. An avid musician, Barney spent many years on Lazy Mountain Bible Church worship teams playing the organ, piano, xylophone, and accordion, even after he retired with Ruth to the Palmer Veterans and Pioneers Home in 2004.

When Ruth passed away in 2005, he decided to remain at the home where he continued to encourage and entertain with his wit and his poetry. The family would like to thank all the PH staff for their excellent, compassionate care over the last 17 years.

Barney is survived by his daughter, Beth Joy (Al) Adrian; son, Stephen (Nina) Furman; daughter, Mella Dee (Jim) Homoki; grandchildren, Virginia (Avery), Davin (Yolanda), Trisha (Jimmy), Kristian (Alyssa), Marisa, Anya (Jason), Adrian (Grace), Kathryn, and Emily; great grandchildren, Zanya, Keenan, Zenka, Taliyah, Mikel, Krystina, Dristopher, Derrick, Kyrian, Luca, Cadence, and Arietta; and nieces and nephew, Shirley, Jeanne, Nancy, and Garry.

He loved us all. A memorial service will be planned for later in 2021.