Remembering David Dwight Harshbarger, PhD

David Dwight Harshbarger, PhD, 82, passed away on December 5, 2020, in the comfort of his home in Morgantown surrounded by loved ones. He kept his wit and humor until the end.

Dwight taught classes in the WVU School of Public Health as an adjunct professor and worked with the Commission on Accreditation for Behavioral Safety. He published four works of historical fiction. Two of his novels focused on industrial safety failures in West Virginia -- Witness at Hawks Nest, about tunneling through Gauley Mountain to divert the New River for hydropower (resulting in the most deaths as a result of industrial disaster in U.S. history), and Valley at Risk: Shelter in Place about a chemical spill in the Kanawha River Valley. His first novel, In the Heart of the Hills: A Novel in Stories, relates tales of growing up in a small town during WWII and observing the community change with the construction of the interstate highway. For the past six years he devoted his life to his final book, A Quiet Hero: A Novel of Resistance in WWII France, carefully researching the French Resistance movement to the German occupation of France during WWII. 

Dwight participated in the Morgantown Buddhist Group and requested a Buddhist service following his passing. Honoring his wishes, his body has been entrusted to Hastings Funeral Home for cremation. A more formal celebration of his life will be conducted in the spring and announced in this newspaper. His ashes will be returned to the family plot in the Milton cemetery and the Hawks Nest Memorial which meant so much to him. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either of these two non-profits:

• The Green Mountain Writers Conference, for emerging writers who are dedicated to using their craft to shed light on overlooked truths. Donations should be sent to the Green Mountain Writers Conference in care of Yvonne Daley, 47 Hazel Street, Rutland, VT 05701.
• The Nicholas Chronicle, Nicholas Historical and Genealogical Society (Hawks Nest Memorial maintenance) 718 Broad Street, Summersville WV 26651.

To share condolences and read his full obituary, visit Hastings Funeral Home website.