John Harkin - Biathlete, coach, teacher

John Harkin, an avid skier, educator, coach, and adventurer, passed away on October 27 at the age of 89. Born in 1936, he made a lasting impact in the communities of Marquette, Michigan, and Bozeman, Montana, where he devoted nearly three decades to teaching and coaching, and another three decades dedicated to masters ski racing in Nordic, Biathlon, and Alpine disciplines. 

Harkin joined the Army in January 1956 and was posted to Fort Richardson, Alaska and the Army's biathlon program. Ski Team. He won the Arctic Valley Ski Bowl in Anchorage in March 1957. While a student at Northen Michigan College (now NMU), he managed the municipal ski hill, Mt. Menard. 

After several years teaching and coaching in Marquette, he and his young family moved to Bozeman in 1966, where he taught math at Bozeman Senior High School for six years, while coaching the ski teams. Under his leadership the teams consistently excelled, with state championships won by either the boys or girls teams every year, including a remarkable achievement in 1971 when both teams captured the title.

Harkin dedicated 26 years to teaching, inspiring countless students with his innovative methods. He was instrumental in establishing the local ski and bike swap events that became community staples in Bozeman.

In 1986, he married his adventuresome partner, Suzette, and together they traveled the world, from the Inside Passage to Europe, New Zealand, Bali and beyond. Their shared love for outdoor exploration led to unforgettable experiences, including countless camping and hiking adventures, biking excursions and road trips around the US and Canada. John and Suzette’s front door was always open, hosting family and friends worldwide. They took in so many guests over the years that their home was nicknamed "Harkin Hotel."

Beginning in the 1970s, Harkin spent many years as a citizen cross-country racer in Bozeman, then began competing nationally and internationally in the masters program. John's best result was a 10th place finish in the 30K freestyle at the World Masters in Anchorage Alaska. John was also a Masters Biathlete. John's excellent marksmanship combined with his fast cross country skiing led him to the top of the podium in both the US and North American Championships. At the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, Harkin served as a wax coach for the Army World Class Athlete Program.