Bruce Bastian, one of the founders of WordPerfect Corporation, passed away at the age of 76 at his home in Palm Springs, California. Known for creating the popular word processor used during the early days of personal computing, Bastian later renounced his Mormon faith after coming out as gay and became a major supporter of LGBTQ causes.
Born in Twin Falls, Idaho, Bastian founded WordPerfect with Alan C. Ashton in the late 1970s while finishing graduate school at Brigham Young University. The highly customizable and user-friendly word processor gained widespread popularity and dominated the market in the 1980s and early ’90s.
Despite WordPerfect’s success, the company faced challenges when Microsoft bundled Word into its Office suite, leading to a decline in market share. In 1994, Bastian and Ashton sold WordPerfect to Novell for $1.4 billion.
After leaving the company, Bastian became a philanthropist, funding arts and cultural programs in Utah, as well as supporting LGBTQ causes. He publicly came out as gay and withdrew his name from the Mormon Church’s records, leading to strained relationships with some, including his former business partner Ashton.
In 2008, during the fight over Proposition 8 in California, which sought to ban same-sex marriage, Bastian and Ashton found themselves on opposing sides. Bastian contributed $1 million to the opposition efforts, feeling betrayed by Ashton’s support for the proposition.
Throughout his life, Bastian remained dedicated to his values and principles, even at the cost of personal relationships. He is survived by his husband, Clint Ford, four sons, and other family members.
For Bastian, coming out as gay was a terrifying yet hopeful journey towards personal happiness and authenticity. His legacy as a technology pioneer and LGBTQ advocate will be remembered by those who knew him.
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