Harold Ness built his business along with a satisfying life
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Harold Ness lived by the motto "Life is what you make it." And he made it good.
The longtime Seattle resident and son of Norwegian immigrants bought a two-crane company in 1950 and turned it into a 30-crane construction operation serving all of Washington.
He also indulged in his love of the outdoors, traveling the world, gardening and fishing.
Mr. Ness died Sunday (March 10) of complications after a stroke. He was 78.
Mr. Ness, founder of Ness Crane Service in Ballard, was introduced to construction by his father, who had moved the family to Seattle from Green Bay, Wis., to help build the Civic Auditorium, which later became the Opera House.
Mr. Ness graduated from Ballard High School in 1941, volunteered with the Army during World War II and served with its Alaska Communication System. While on furlough in August 1944 he married Alice Tangen, whom he had met in high school.
After the war, he worked for his brother's construction company, Fiksdal & Ness. In 1950, he bought a small crane company from O.A. Gordon.
"That's how we got started," said his wife of nearly 58 years. "We didn't have an office; we had a phone. Our first two sons were 3 and 1-1/2. I had to be home and answer the phone, so he gave me a 50-foot cord so I could get in the back yard and hang up diapers."
Though Mr. Ness had no business experience, his family said he made good decisions.
"He started adding to the fleet little bit by little bit," said his son Larry, who took over management of the company in 2000. "He prospered and got kind of lucky."
But even after the management changeover, Mr. Ness didn't take much time off.
"He was down there every day," Larry Ness said. "At 6:30 a.m. every day."
If Mr. Ness wasn't working, his family said, he was taking trips in a recreational vehicle, traveling abroad or working with his fruit trees or garden. In front of the house, he grew apples, pears, raspberries and tomatoes.
"One year, he actually grew a cantaloupe," Mrs. Ness said. "I served it to the ladies in my bridge class, and they were very impressed."
Under the house, Mr. Ness kept a beehive. A friend showed him how to raise bees, and Mr. Ness enjoyed giving home-grown honey to friends.
He was a member of the Associated General Contractors, Ballard Elks No. 827 and the Ballard Golden Beavers, a group of Ballard High alumni celebrating 50-year-plus reunions. He also belonged to the Rambling Antlers RV Club and the Leif Erikson Lodge of the Sons of Norway and served as a trustee for the pension fund of the Operating Engineers union Local 302.
With the Elks the Nesses went camping almost every month. With the contractors group they traveled to Australia, New Zealand, Japan and other countries. Mr. Ness' favorite trips were to Norway, where he and his wife had dozens of cousins.
He also enjoyed fishing, Husky football games and dancing with his wife the Scandinavian steps he had known since childhood. The couple belonged to dance groups.
"His father used to say he was a lucky man," Mrs. Ness remembered. "Things just seemed to work out for him."
Mr. Ness also is survived by sons Eric of Olympia and Randy of Bainbridge Island, four grandchildren and one great-grandson.
The family will hold a private service tomorrow. A celebration of his life will be at 2 p.m. March 30 at the Sons of Norway Hall, 2245 N.W. 57th St., Seattle.
Remembrances may be made to Magnolia Lutheran Church, 2414 31st Ave. W., Seattle, WA 98199; Medic One, P.O. Box 359747, Seattle, WA 98101; or any charity.
Aydrea Walden can be reached at 206-464-2342 or awalden@seattletimes.com.