Obituary: Irma Fast Harder
KS_Newton — Irma Fast
Harder, 95, passed away on May 27, 2013, at Schowalter Villa Health Care in
Hesston.
Irma was born on May 20, 1918, to Katherine Schultz Janzen
Fast and John N. Fast in Mountain Lake, Minnesota. She was a member of the
Bethel Mennonite Church.
Irma graduated from Mt. Lake High School in 1936, and then
attended the University of Minnesota, studying home economics and business. She
worked for Northwestern Bell before she returned to Mt. Lake to marry Clarence
W. Harder on August 7, 1949.
After he passed away suddenly in 1962, Irma completed the
building of a Standard Oil Station, which was to be the family business. Soon
after, she began as the public librarian and eventually led the way for a new
library building to be constructed.
She was also instrumental in developing the Heritage Village
Museum as a way of preserving buildings, artifacts and history for future
generations.
Irma served her community and church in a variety of ways:
historian, church librarian, quilter, gardener and good neighbor.
Irma was known for her ready smile and gracious presence,
and she will be deeply missed.
Preceding her in death were her parents; husband, Clarence;
infant daughter, Deborah; and sisters, Leone Fast and Kay Johnson.
Cherishing her memory are her daughters, Becky Harder (Doug)
of Monument, Colo., Marlene Harder Bogard (Mike) of Newton; four grandchildren;
and four great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life service will be held at the Schowalter
Villa Chapel, Hesston, on June 22, 11 a.m.
Memorials may be designated to Heritage Village Museum, Mt.
Lake, MN, and the Dyck Arboretum, Hesston, in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home,
107 S. Lancaster, P.O. Box 32, Hesston, KS 67062.
