Charles Leonard Harness died Tuesday September 20, 2005, after a long illness.

Mr. Harness was a retired patent attorney, a former resident of Maryland, and a member of the Maryland and District Columbia Bar Associations.

Charles Harness' first science fiction was first published in 1948. He went on to produce a distinguished body of work over a career that extended through six decades. His most famous works were The Rose and The Paradox Men. He was frequently published in Analog and Fantasy and Science Fiction, and has several works that will be published posthumously.

Mr. Harness was a born in Colorado City, Texas, in 1915, and later relocated to Ft. Worth. He attended Texas Christian University and later received a B.S and LL.B. degree from George Washington University in Washington D.C.. He practiced patent law for W.R. Grace and Co. in New York City and Washington D.C. until his retirement in 1981. He was also a member and former deacon of Christ Memorial Presbyterian Church in Columbia, Maryland.

Harness was preceded in death by a brother, Bryan Blandford Harness; a sister, Anna Byrd Harness Wallace; and his beloved wife, Nell White Harness. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Shan and Sid Spain, of Charlottesville, Virginia; a son and daughter-in-law, Charles Bryan and Leah Harness, of Newton, Kansas; a granddaughter, Virginia E. Harness, of Newton, Kansas; a granddaughter and spouse, Shiloh and Jon Whitehead, of Charlottesville, Virginia; and a brother, Conrad Patrick Harness, of Houston Texas.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Kidron Bethel Retirement Village in North Newton, Kansas.

Posted October 5, 2005