Markham, Bruce

HARLEY BRUCE MARKHAM, JR. 3 May 1952 – 1953

“Harley Bruce Markham, always known by his middle name, was in the
class before mine at Notre Dame. He and Charley Magnus were in the
Naval Hospital, Kobe, Japan recovering from minor surgery when I
first reported aboard. Harley was transferred to shore duty in San
Diego after about 18 months in FRANK E. EVANS.”

-LTJG Douglass Legg

Harley Bruce Markham, Jr. was born in 1930 in Fort Collins, Colorado. In this first year of the great depression both jobs and money were scarce and the Markham’s moved to Fort Worth, Texas. For business reasons, the family moved to Casper, Wyoming. In 1933, Bruce made his third move to a new town in as many years. During the next seven years, the family lived in several rental units until, in 1940, they moved into their first family home. Bruce attended three different elementary schools before entering the town’s only junior high school in the 8th grade. Bruce was qualified with a push broom and worked in the family sign shop at various other jobs during World War II years. He gained experience in construction, bill posting and sign-painting. He attended Natrona County High School as a Freshman and Sophomore where he participated in the ROTC pro-gram. At 16, he acquired his airplane pilot’s license.

Academically, Bruce was lucky. School was always relatively easy and required little effort beyond attending class and handing in assignments. This did not produce the highest grades, but kept him in the upper percentages, qualified him for the National Honor Society and seemed to satisfy everybody.

In the fall of 1948, Bruce enrolled in Notre Dame University’s College of Commerce pursuing a major in Marketing. Religion was a required course for the Catholic students who made up the vast majority of the student body but, Bruce, as a Methodist, was exempted from these studies. At the suggestion of one of his working friends, Mr. Bill White, Bruce became a member of the Masonic Order during his first summer home from the University. He may not have been the only, but was certainly among the few, 32nd degree Masons attending Notre Dame University. After his Sophomore year, Bruce attended a summer session at Mexico City College where he earned sufficient credits to enable his graduation from Notre Dame in three years. To replace the academic hours, Bruce took a number of classes in English Literature and, upon graduation, received a second major in that subject.

After the summer of 1950 the United States, under the sponsorship of the United Nations, was deeply involved in a brutal war on the Korean Peninsula supporting South Korea against the aggressions of the North Koreans and Chinese. All young men at that time had a seven-year military obligation and, after graduation from Norte Dame, Bruce applied for the recently re-established U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. After passing the entrance examinations in Chicago, Bruce reported to Newport in October 1951 and, after completing the course in January 1952, joined the Pacific Fleet which was deployed in the Western Pacific.

Bruce was transferred via high-line to USS FRANK E. EVANS (DD 754) in early March 1952. FRANK E. EVANS was a 2200 ton destroyer built in 1943, which had seen significant service in the Pacific before being moth-balled after World War II to await commencement of the Korean hostilities. As a shinny new Ensign, Bruce was assigned to the Gunnery Department which was responsible for deck duties as well as the armament aboard FRANK E. EVANS. During his tour, he also served as 1 Division Officer and ultimately Gunnery Officer. FRANK E. EVANS was rotated between the U. S. and Westpac where she saw duty with the carrier task force anti-submarine screen, the bombardment group along the Korean Coast, with the Formosa Patrol and on various other screening duties, usual for the destroyer force. While on board FRANK E. EVANS, Bruce was good friends with ENS Chuck Magnus.

The day the cease fire was announced in 1953 Bruce was detached from the ship and transferred to Seattle. During the leave between assignments, Bruce married Mary Alice Collins of Dallas, Texas. The new couple drove to Seattle where Bruce took up his duties in the Office of Public Information on the staff of Rear Admiral Allen E. Smith, Commandant Thirteenth Naval District and Commander Western Sea Frontier.

The U.S. Navy, like its predecessor the British Navy, believed that a line officer was capable of discharging any duties to which he was assigned; no matter what. Bruce turned in his gunnery officer duties for new tasks involved in managing a live 30 minute musical variety show on King TV every Saturday night. He was also assigned the management of U.S. Navy band attached to that command and ran the photo shop and film library while participating in the other duties of the office, including press releases and letters for the Admiral. When Bruce completed his active duty tour, they moved to Pocatello, Idaho.

Bruce was an extremely successful businessman. He spent some 35 years developing the family’s outdoor advertising business. During those years he enjoyed family life with his children and stepchildren residing in Aspen, Colorado. Bruce sold the corporation.

While residing in Tucson, Arizona he then embarked on a second career in California’s famed Napa Valley. Once again a change in residence was necessary to begin as a grape grower providing estate grown grapes to Robert Mondavi and Beaulieu Vineyards. In 1977 he acquired the Little C0-OP historic wine facility and founded Markham Vineyards. Markham’s first vintage was in 1978 and received critical acclaim for the wines produced from his 250 acres of carefully tended vines. Those wines continue to receive acclaim today under the Markham name and his personal concept that wine making begins in the vineyard with diligent attention to detail. In 1979 he married Kate Fowler who was also an active participant in the daily management of the winery. Ready for retirement in 1988, Bruce sold the vineyards and winery to a large international firm and moved to Lake Tahoe, Nevada to once again enjoy skiing and golf in the mountains. When warmer climates began to beckon in 1998, he moved back to Tucson where he had lived in the 1970’s.

Harley Bruce Markham Jr. passed away in Tucson, Arizona on 13
November 2001. He was 71 years old. He is buried in Highlands
Cemetery, Casper, Wyoming.