Esther M. Harms, 87, passed away on Tuesday (May 31, 2011) in Newton, from complications of diabetes and high blood pressure.
She was born on Aug. 30, 1923, at the parental farm southeast of Inman.
On Oct. 21, 1946, she entered into a marital relationship with Wilmer A. Harms at the Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church seven miles southeast of Inman. Their first home was a small farm northeast of Medora. Later, they moved to Hillsboro, Lawrence and Kansas City, where Wilmer graduated from the Kansas University of Medicine. Esther always was able to find employment as a bookkeeper.
After internship, they made their home in Hesston, where Wilmer began his practice as a family physician. Esther enjoyed the years living in Hesston.
She gladly participated in various community activities as was expected of the doctor's wife. She never refused an opportunity to teach children's Sunday school or Vacation Bible School.
In 1968, Wilmer left Hesston to begin residency training at the McGee Eye Institute in Oklahoma City. In 1972, the family moved to Halstead, where Wilmer joined the Hertzler Clinic as an ophthalmologist.
The family joined the Koerner Heights Church in Newton. Esther again became involved teaching children's classes, but her legacy. which gave her a deep sense of fulfillment, was that of organizing the Ladies Daytime Fellowship, where she always tried to have a quilt ready for the elderly ladies to work on. Esther was a skilled quilter and enjoyed sharing the art of quilting with the ladies.
In her declining years, she also had to make adjustments, which allowed her to cope with the limitations imposed on her by suffering with diabetes and hypertensive heart disease. In March 2002, she fell and fractured her right hip. A successful hip replacement was not to be her fortune but resulted in painful limitations in walking and while standing.
Those remaining to cherish her memories are her devoted husband of more than 64 years and two sons, Willard of Elmhurst, Ill., and Kevin (Rebecca) of Wichita; six grandchildren, Stacey Rene', Charles Cooper, MacKenzie Marie, Blake Alan, Craig Allen and Anne Elizabeth; and 28 nephews and nieces. In a family of 11 siblings, only one brother now survives, Delbert (Lillian) Ediger of Inman, and also two sisters-in-law, Anna Ediger and LaVerna Ediger.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Katie (Martens) Ediger; six sisters, Bertha, Rosella, Anna, Frieda, Edna and Elva; three brothers, Ben, Henry and Herb; one sister-in-law, Eleanor Ediger; and three nieces, Jolene Friesen, Connie Doerksen and Norma Ediger.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Miller-Ott Funeral Home in Hesston, with a second visitation with family present from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Buhler Mortuary in Buhler. Funeral Service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Hoffnungsau Mennonite Church. Pastors Harold Thieszen, Tim Mace and Debbie Schmidt will officiate. Cremation will follow the service with burial of the remains in Springfield Cemetery in Lehigh at a later date.
Memorials may be sent to the Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies at Tabor College in Hillsboro or Kidron Bethel Village in North Newton, in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, 107 S. Lancaster, Hesston, KS 67062.
