Jack Harwood, 96, of St. John, passed away May 4, 2026, at the Spokane Veterans Home. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at the St. John Methodist Church in St. John, Washington, with burial to follow at the St. John Cemetery. A reception will follow the graveside service back at the church.

Jack was born July 8, 1929, on the family farm in St. John, the fifth child of Grace and Lester Harwood. As his sister Arlene recalls, she and her siblings were sent to the barn for the night to prepare for his arrival. He grew up helping on the farm and at the Harwood Feed Co. mill. In 1951, he was drafted in the Army and served as a SGT(T) in the Military Police at Camp Roberts, California

In the early summer of 1953, freshly out of the service, Jack and his childhood friend, Gordon Hamilton, spotted Mary Lou and her friend in Pullman, Washington, and offered to take them for a ride around town in Jack’s 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible. Garnering a positive response from the girls, and not knowing who liked whom, the boys were quite polite and let the girls choose who they wanted to sit next to in the car. Mary Lou sat right down next to Jack and remained by his side. The couple married a few months later in Pullman on November 21, 1953.

After their wedding, Jack and Mary Lou moved to the farm at HarwoodHill, two miles northwest of St. John, where they raised their four sons: Mark, Alan, Eric, and Gary. Jack, having been born at the start of the Depression, was resourceful. He built tractors from old semi’s, an earthmover, and retired military equipment. They were known as “contraptions” to much of the county, but he was proud that he was able to successfully farm a ranch one-quarter the size of the average using equipment that cost four figures instead of six.

He enjoyed hunting moose in Canada, Pheasants over Cocker and Brittany spaniels on the farm with family and lifelong friends, the Chapman’s & Kenney’s and spent many Sundays getting dirt bikes ready for the races in Ewan. In retirement, he spent summers working on Jimmy diesels in the shop, went on numerous camping trips with the Fitzgerald’s & Brophy’s and enjoyed heading south for the winter with Mary Lou, where they met many friends who have continued to visit St. John every year.

Jack and Mary Lou lived on the farm until moving into St. John proper in 2011 after purchasing the house he and his dad had built in 1961. He had a number of special people who helped him remain in his home until he moved to the Spokane Veterans Home in January of this year.

Jack is survived by his sister Arlene of Leavenworth; his sons Mark (Della) Harwood of Greenacres, Alan (Nancy) Harwood of Walla Walla, Eric (Judy) Harwood of Prosser, and Gary (Chrystal) Harwood of Spokane; as well as ten grandchildren, Amanda, Jerod, Jason, Jeff, Jeremy, Rolan, Robin, Justin, Josee, and Adelaide; and twenty-one great-grandchildren, Weston, Brielle, Leighton, Teagan, Chloe, Jackson, Harper, Hattie, Mac, Maggie, Aliza, Jade, Raiden, Milo, Will, Katelyn, Blake, Lennon, Marley, Greear, and Jack.

He was preceded in death by his bride Mary Lou, his parents Grace and Lester and his three brothers, Gene, Everett, and Glen.

Memorial contributions in Jack’s honor are suggested to the St. John Volunteer Fire Department. The family wishes to express their gratitude to the department for their many kindnesses, as well as to the staff of the Spokane Veterans Home and Whitman Hospital for their exceptional care of Jack over the years.