WordPerfect Co-Founder and LGBTQ Advocate Bruce Bastian Dies at 76

Bruce Bastian, one of the co-founders of the WordPerfect Corporation, has passed away at the age of 76 at his home in Palm Springs, California. The cause of death was complications of pulmonary fibrosis, as stated by Michael Marriott, the executive director of the B.W. Bastian Foundation.

In the late 1970s, Mr. Bastian, while finishing his graduate studies at Brigham Young University, founded the company that later became known as WordPerfect. He collaborated with Alan C. Ashton, his computer science professor, to create the widely popular word processor that became the tool of choice for writing during the early era of personal computing.

Activism and Legacy

After publicly coming out as gay, Bruce Bastian renounced his Mormon faith and dedicated himself to funding various L.G.B.T.Q. causes, leaving a lasting impact on the community.