Steven Michael Harnois was born on October 18, 1951 in Woonsocket, RI to Donat and Pauline Harnois. Because of complications, the doctors were not sure he would survive, but his fighting spirit pulled him through, as it often would later in life. As the oldest in the family, Steve and his sister Kathy essentially raised their nine siblings while both parents worked. Early on, Steve displayed the fierce loyalty, total dedication and never-quit perseverance all would come to know. Moving to Bristol, RI in 1967, Steve played football and basketball, always as a team player. One of the top rebounders and a solid scorer, Steve made two game-winning shots enroute to repeating as the State Basketball Champions his senior year.
Knowing early on that he wanted to be a Soldier, Steve entered West Point in July 1970, intent on going to Vietnam upon graduation. In the fall of 1973, he was diagnosed with cancer and released from West Point with a 50/50 chance of survival. Steve again fought back and beat the odds. Refusing a disability discharge, Steve battled to return to West Point. While his request was processed, Steve drove for a trucking company, picking up his moniker ‘Cheyenne.’ He prevailed in his fight with the bureaucracy and rejoined the Corps with the Class of ’75 as a member of Company A-2. While at West Point, Cheyenne developed his hallmark close, lasting friendships, including with Sal the Barber. As the “Man in the Red Sash,” he started many a cadet from the Class of ’78 on their military careers with appropriate words of wisdom and “encouragement.” He was an imposing figure as a platoon leader in 6th New Cadet Company, always focused on the mission and loyal to his chain of command and his new cadets.
After graduating with his band of brothers, Cheyenne made the wedding circuit on his way to Fort Benning, GA. At one pre-wedding event in Shamokin, PA, he sparred with a priest in a game of sports trivia, only to lose when his “ace in the hole” hometown baseball player Napoleon Lajoie was immediately educed. At the bachelor party, Cheyenne was one of three left standing at the end of the evening. He carried the groom-to-be home and tended to him throughout the night. The next morning, Cheyenne greeted the members of the wedding party with Bloody Marys. In his trademark style, Cheyenne took Shamokin by storm. The Army was in for one wild ride!
At Benning, his quick wit and superb sense of humor entertained students and instructors alike. In Ranger School, Cheyenne’s teamwork, perseverance and loyalty pulled many a Ranger through. No one who was there will ever forget his strip act at 0400 in 10 degree weather at Camp Darby, which raised the morale of the entire company and got all through the mission. Leaving winter Ranger behind, Cheyenne joined the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Bobcats of the 25th Division in Hawaii. There, he performed magnificently as a rifle platoon leader, weapons platoon leader and company XO. He also met Tina, whose first impression was that he had a rather large Adam’s apple. He asked her out on Christmas Eve 1977 and left Tina wondering if she should have gone on the date. Steve proposed in early 1978, and although she does not recall saying yes, Tina married him on August 12, 1978 at Schofield Barracks, HI. Soon after, Cheyenne found out that Tina was NOT going to be his “little woman,” and they began forging the strong love that would last a lifetime.
Following IOAC, Cheyenne and Tina stayed at Fort Benning, where he worked on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle task force for two years and then commanded an Infantry OSUT company for two years. Cheyenne and Tina next headed to the University of Rhode Island for his MBA, followed by a tour as an Infantry Systems Analyst at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. There, Cheyenne and Tina adopted Joshua Nathanial and Rebecca Christina, completely changing their lives. As Tina described it, the “kids brought a light into Cheyenne’s face” whenever he held them or talked about them. Everyone in his CGSC class saw this. Always mission focused, Cheyenne’s life definitely revolved around Tina, Josh and Becca. Leavenworth was a special time as friendships from West Point, Hawaii and Benning were renewed, and Cheyenne reprised his famous “Where Are the Buffalos?” act. As the friends parted in June of 1989, they made plans to link up at future rendezvous points. Steve and Tina headed to Fort Hood, TX, where the 1st Cavalry Division wisely took advantage of Steve’s leadership and experience and made him the Division G3 Ops. Diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer, Steve went in for open heart surgery to remove a tumor, but the surgery and disease were too much for even his fighter instinct, and Steve passed on March 2, 1990.
Steve touched everyone who was privileged to know him. His never quit attitude, zest for life and sense of humor inspired all around him. His dedication to Tina, Josh, Becca, his mother and his siblings was without equal. Although his time on earth was much too short, Cheyenne lived every minute to the fullest. No one personified Duty, Honor, Country or Courage and Drive better than he did.
We hope this brief article gives Josh and Becca some insight into their Dad and conveys the immense love he had for them and Tina. Cheyenne, we miss you!
— Tina and his Classmates