Richard L. Harness, 74, of Union, Kentucky, lost his long battle with Pituitary Endocrine Disorder on August 1, 2022. He is survived by his son, Justin, his daughter, Carrie (Travis) Porter, and his granddaughter, Brinna Hope Porter. He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, Judith Hope (Clear), as well as his parents, Marjorie and Leon Harness, and siblings, Karen Harness and Michael Harness. Richard was diagnosed with a Pituitary tumor in 1972 while on duty in the US Navy. After receiving radiation treatment for the tumor, he received a medical discharge with a service-connected disability due to ACTH deficiency. A Navy Endocrinologist informed him in 1972 that he could consider himself to be fortunate if he lived another 20 years. His treatment of the Endocrine Disorder began with medications first prescribed in 1972 and taken daily for the rest of his life. In 1987, while eating nuts, he suffered an allergic reaction that resulted in anaphylactic shock and hospitalization. In 1999, he was struck by a car that caused internal bleeding resulting in hypovolemic shock and hospitalization. The 1972 radiation therapy for his Pituitary tumor caused the development of four subsequent brain tumors treated with Gamma-Knife surgery in 2013 and 2017, with Proton Beam Therapy in 2019, and with surgery in 2022. His daily use of replacement steroid medications contributed to cardio-vascular disease, resulting in quintuple coronary bypass surgery in 2014, and placement of a stent in one of the bypass grafts in 2020, as well as a mini-stroke in 2020. Richard's philosophy regarding these afflictions was never, "Why me, Lord?" but always "What's next?" Richard's battle was the epitome of the line "Rage, rage against the dying of the light," from the Dylan Thomas poem, Do Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night. His battle was made easier by the support of his wife of 47 years, the former Judith Clear from Rich Valley, Virginia. He met Judith shortly before his discharge from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, just before his medical retirement from the Navy in 1973. Judith familiarized herself with Richard's medical needs and the level of support he required, and she often verbally confronted doctors unfamiliar with his condition to make sure that he received the appropriate medical treatment during each of his hospitalizations. She was greatly missed during the last two years. Richard was born in Bakersfield, California, on November 7, 1947, to Marjorie and Leon Harness. His maternal grandparents were Frances and Henry Kraft, who began farming near Pond, California, in 1917. His paternal grandparents were Lucy and James Carroll Harness, who began farming near Mountain View, Oklahoma, in the 1920s. He still has living cousins in central California and in southwest Oklahoma. Richard grew up on the Kraft family farm and attended Pond School and Delano High School, graduating in 1965. He attended Bakersfield College but enlisted in the US Navy in 1967 in order to serve during the Vietnam conflict. After completing two years of intense training in the Navy Nuclear Power Program he was selected for Staff Instructor duty at the Nuclear Power Training Unit near Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he served for two years. He was subsequently transferred to the nuclear guided missile submarine USS Andrew Jackson (SSBN 619), and made two nuclear deterrent patrols during the Cold War. While on board the Jackson he qualified in submarines and was promoted to the rate of Machinist's Mate First Class MM1(SS). After his discharge from the Navy and his marriage to Judith, Richard attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (also known as VPI or Virginia Tech), receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering in 1978. He was elected to Chi Epsilon, the National Civil Engineering Honor Society. Richard worked in the coal mining, nuclear power, and environmental consulting industries from 1978 to 1991, when he formed the company LMH Environmental Inc. with two business partners, Edward Leitch and Raymond Muldrew, in Orangevale, California. LMH specialized in the long-term environmental remediation of spills of petroleum and other hazardous materials from the wrecks of highway transport trucks. During their 30-plus years of operations, LMH completed the remediation of more than 1,500 environmental projects in 42 states. A memorial service will be private and held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Richard's family requests donations to the Pituitary Network Association (https://pituitary.org/), the National Adrenal Disease Foundation (http://www.nadf.us), the Mayfield Brain & Spine Clinic (www.mayfieldclinic.com/), or the Alzheimer's Association (http://www.alz.org). Direct links to each of these organizations have been added below. Those wishing to express condolences online may do so by signing the online guestbook. The D.R. Henderson Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family of Richard L. Harness.