Harald Bough Obituary

Harald C. Bough 1963 - 2025

Harald Bough passed away unexpectedly but peacefully, with his wife and daughter by his side, on December 28, 2025, at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Harald, 62, passed away due to complications from rare bladder and leukemia cancers.

He was preceded in death by his father, Jerry Bough, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He is survived by his loving devoted wife, Frances, of Hewitt, New Jersey; his loving devoted daughter, Deirdre, and grand-puppy, Kobalt, of Sandy Hook, Connecticut; his mother, Doris Bough, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; and his siblings, Gary Bough of Post Falls, Idaho, and Judy Baulmer of Pickerington, Ohio.

Born in Bruchmühlbach, Germany, Harald attended primary and middle school there before his family settled in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where he completed high school and a couple years of college. He began working at the age of 14 and was known throughout his life as a dedicated, hardworking employee in every role he held. He spent most of his career as the lead North American service technician for a major manufacturer of industrial size-reduction machines and systems, taking great pride in his work and craftsmanship.

Outside of work, Harald found joy in canoeing, hiking, fly fishing, gardening, photography, cooking, and baking traditional German recipes. He perfected his bread-making skills from scratch, with german rye sourdough being his favorite. He loved teaching himself new skills, including tying his own fly-fishing lures and creating intricate nautical and Celtic rope knot designs. An avid reader, Harald especially enjoyed Stephen King and Anne Rice novels, as well as biographies of musicians and public figures, delighting in behind-the-scenes stories and deep dives into song lyrics and their meanings.

In his later years, Harald taught himself to play the guitar and spent countless hours practicing and learning new songs at home. Classic rock influenced him deeply from an early age, and a quality sound system was essential to his enjoyment of music. He especially loved attending live concerts each year.

Above all, Harald cherished time with his family. He took immense pride and joy in teaching his daughter, Deirdre-whether offering life advice or helping maintain and repair her vehicle and home. He loved playing frisbee with and babysitting his four-legged grandchild, and meticulously caring for his African cichlid fish tank, which he kept healthy and pristine.

Harald was known for his kindness, attention to detail, and remarkable ability to fix almost anything-often taking things apart and putting them back together better than before. He will be remembered for his warm smile, beautiful laugh, and calming presence, but most of all for his strength and for being a loving, supportive role model.

A memorial celebration of Harald's life will be held at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1700 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

All are welcome to attend and celebrate his life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Leukemia Research Foundation in his honor.

Harald, "...Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic."

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Harald C. Bough, please click here to visit our sympathy store.