Bruce Bastian

Bruce Wayne Bastian (March 23, 1948 – June 16, 2024) was an American computer programmer, businessperson, and philanthropist.^[1] He co-founded WordPerfect (originally known as Satellite Software International) with Alan Ashton in 1978.

Bruce Bastian
Bastian in 2011
Born	Bruce Wayne Bastian (1948-03-23)March 23, 1948 Twin Falls, Idaho, U.S.
Died	June 16, 2024(2024-06-16) (aged 76) Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Brigham Young University
Occupations	Computer programmer businessperson
Known for	Co-founding WordPerfect
Spouse(s)	Melanie Laycock ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1993)​ Clint Ford ​ (m. 2018)​
Children	4

Early life and education

Bastian was born on March 23, 1948, in Twin Falls, Idaho.^[2][3][4] He was raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,^[5] and he was a missionary in Italy.^[2] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Master's degree in Computer Science from Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah.^[2] As an undergraduate, he served as the director of the BYU Cougar Marching Band and developed a software program to help choreograph marching band performances together with Alan Ashton.^[2]

Career

Bastian began working for the Eyring Research Institute (ERI) at BYU, and he was soon joined by Ashton to work on a word processor for the city of Orem, Utah.^[6] The two worked on a Data General computer.^[6] Their collaborative work later became the company known as WordPerfect,^[6] founded in 1979.^[7] In 1982, they released WordPerfect 2.2 for the IBM Personal Computer.^[6] Bastian was the chairman of the board until 1994.^[7]

Philanthropy

Bastian established the B.W. Bastian Foundation in 1997.^[7]

A philanthropist, Bastian supported the LGBT community and the performing arts in Utah.^[1] He was a donor to Encircle, the Utah Pride Center, and Equality Utah, whose executive director noted, "No individual has had a greater impact on the lives of LGBTQ Utahns."^[1] In 2003, he donated more than $1 million to the Human Rights Campaign.^[5] He served on their board for the next 22 years.^[8]

Bastian also provided financial assistance to the Plan-B Theatre Company, the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera, and Ballet West.^[1] At the University of Utah, he donated $1.7 million for the renovation of Kingsbury Hall in 1997 and $1.3 million for the purchase of 55 Steinway pianos in 2000.^[9] He also supported the LGBT Resource Center on campus.^[9]

In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed Bastian to the Presidential Advisory Committee of the Arts in honor of Bastian's long-term commitment to the arts.^[10]

Personal life and death

Bastian married Melanie Laycock in 1976, and they had four sons; they divorced in 1993.^[11] He later married Clint Ford.^[1][9] They resided in Orem, Utah and Palm Springs, California.^[2][7] Bastian died from lung disease on June 16, 2024, at the age of 76.^[1][7]