Henry (Jr.) Harada Jr.

Henry Harada, Jr., age 95, a lifelong resident of New Mexico, was born June 22, 1926, in San Antonio, New Mexico, and went to be with the Lord on November 1, 2021. He is survived by Earlene Harada, his wife of 68 years, and his seven sons: Alan and wife Becky of Albuquerque, NM, Michael and wife Pamela of Houston, TX, Rick and wife Maggie of Seattle, WA, Carl and wife Anne of Fort Worth, TX, Mark and wife Wendy of Amarillo, TX, Greg and wife Amie of Dallas, TX, and Todd and wife Janet of Albuquerque, NM. He is also survived by 21 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Henry was the last remaining member of the original Harada family of San Antonio, NM, which consisted of his father Henry (Arakachi), mother Romelia, brother Albert, and sisters Mary, Genevieve, Juanita, Jesse, and Lucy.

Henry proudly served his country in the Army toward the end of World War II and was part of the liberation force in the Philippines, and the occupation force after Japan's surrender. He received the following commendations for his service: Good Conduct medal, WWII Victory medal, Army of Occupation medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal, and Philippine Liberation ribbon.

Following his years in the service, Henry studied electrical engineering and was hired by Bell Laboratories in North Carolina where he met and married Earlene. In 1957, he returned to New Mexico with his wife and growing family to work on national defense projects at Sandia National Laboratories until his retirement in 1990. He and his family were parishioners of Our Lady of the Annunciation Catholic Church.

After retiring he designed and built a home he called "La Mancha" on 50 acres of land in Mora, NM, and spent many years improving and maintaining his property. He was passionate about the land, which became his favorite spot-on earth and a gathering place for family holidays, vacations, and celebrations.

Henry was an avid sportsman who loved hunting, fishing, tennis, and anything that kept him outdoors. He shared his love of the outdoors with his friends and family; wilderness excursions, big game hunting, and fishing trips were all rites of passage for his seven sons.

Memorial will be Friday, November 12, at 4:00 pm at FRENCH-Wyoming. Graveside service will be celebrated Saturday, November 13, at 10:00 am at Gate of Heaven, 7999 Wyoming Blvd NE.