Shirley Harms
1934 - 2019
Obituary
Shirley Ellen Harms passed away on Feb.
8, 2019, at Schowalter Villa in Hesston. She was born June 28, 1934,
in Hillsboro, as the fourth of six children to Rev. Arnold E. and
Edna Ruth Funk. She was raised on a farm northeast of Hillsboro. She
attended Brudertal Elementary School and Hillsboro High School. As a
youth she was active in 4-H and music groups. In May 1950 she was
baptized by her father at the Brudertal Mennonite Church.
In 1952 she started at Bethel College
and entered into the RN program, which she finished at Bethel
Deaconess Hospital in 1956. In the spring of 1953, Shirley and Paul
Harms started dating. They were married on Sept. 10, 1956, at the
Brudertal Mennonite Church near Hillsboro. The first years of
marriage were spent in Iowa and Kansas. During this time, their three
children - Douglas, Adley and Gwendolyn - were born.
While in Kansas, Shirley and Paul
transferred their memberships to Bethel College Mennonite Church. In
1971, after four years in Rolla, Missouri, the family moved to
Upland, Indiana, where Shirley worked as an office nurse for local
doctors and over a decade as the school nurse for the Eastbrook
School District while Paul taught at Taylor University. During this
time cancer became part of her life experience, but for 30 years
after 1985 she lived cancer free. In 1999, they retired to North
Newton and enjoyed being part of the community. Cancer and various
health challenges came again during the last years of her life,
diminishing her living experience but not her spirit.
Shirley enjoyed singing in church
choirs and attending the activities of her children and
grandchildren. In Upland, her interests included tole painting, cross
stitching, sewing, quilting, golfing and socializing with friends.
Later in life, health permitting, she especially enjoyed flower
gardening, reading, card making, playing games, celebrating birthdays
with friends, listening to classical music and watching/attending her
grandsons' wrestling matches. During all of her life she really
enjoyed traveling. Shirley had many friends and family who loved her
deeply and will miss her dearly.
She is survived by her husband of 62
years, Paul M. Harms of North Newton; son, Douglas and wife Dawn of
North Newton; son, Adley and wife Jenifer of Englewood, Colorado;
daughter, Gwendolyn and husband John Mattice of Grand Marais,
Minnesota; grandsons: Matthew Harms of Chicago, Christopher Harms of
Ravenna, Kentucky, and Tanner Harms and Mason Harms, both of Laramie,
Wyoming; sister, Barbara Reimer of Fort Collins, Colorado; and
sisters-in-law, JoAnn Funk of North Newton and Joyce Funk of Viroqua,
Wisconsin.
Shirley was preceded in death by her
parents; sisters, Marjorie Schroeder and Celeste Funk (stillborn);
brothers, Frederick Funk and Francis Funk; and brothers-in-law, Roy
Schroeder and Dean Reimer.
A memorial service will be held at 11
a.m. Tuesday (Feb. 26, 2019) at the Bethel College Mennonite Church
in North Newton. Memorials may be given to Bethel College Mennonite
Church or Bethel College Department of Nursing. Petersen Funeral Home
is in charge of arrangements.
