Columbia, SC

Norwell Rado (Ray) Harnage (CWO-4, USAF Retired)

Mr. Harnage passed away Sunday, July 13, 2008. Born February 9, 1919 in Okeechobee, Florida, he was the son of the late Jacob Richmond and Lela Arkansas Mann Harnage.

Known to his extensive family as Rado, Ray to his friends and neighbors, and RIP to his military comrades, he was a loving and caring husband, father, Papa, brother, uncle and friend. He proudly and honorably served his country for 30 years and 6 days. At the age of 21, he enlisted in the Army Signal Corp - Aviation and continued his service with the US Air Force upon it's inception in 1947, retiring in Columbia with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 04. A veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam his military career included tours of England, Germany, Panama, Libya (Africa), as well as many overseas temporary duty assignments and numerous other permanent and temporary state-side assignments.

Prior to his military enlistment, Rado (Ray) was a resident of Clermont and Winter Garden, Florida, and was a 1937 graduate of Clermont High School.

Following his military retirement, he worked several years with Sloan Construction Co. and H&R Block. Ray's most recent 'job' was taking his 1 mile morning walk, delivering newspapers from the mail box to the door steps of many of his neighbors.

He is survived by his son, James Harnage of Columbia, daughter and son-in-law Linda Harnage and Eric Benton of Jefferson, SC; the joy of his life, grandson Rado James Harnage, and his mother Melanie Rognstad of Dunedin, FL, sister Ivene Aplin of Ocoee, FL, and 35 nieces and nephews and their families. Along with his parents, he was predeceased by his wife of 53 1/2 years, Marge Harnage; brothers Bentley, Ivey, Clarence, OC (Ottis Chester), RD (Richard David) and Elkin, and sisters Leta, Agnes, Carrie Mae and Zenita.

Mr. Harnage will be interned in the Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Florida next to his loving wife. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the International Myeloma Foundation, 12650 Riverside Drive, Suite 206, North Hollywood, CA 91607-3421 or to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, 11 Forest St, New Canaan, CT 06840 as a loving tribute to his late wife's courageous battle with Multiple Myeloma and to help continue funding research for a cure.

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