Anna Louise Harder

Anna’s life began on September 11, 1920, at Bethel Deaconess Hospital in Newton.  She is the daughter of Ben C. and Agatha (Andres) Regier.  After graduating from high school and earning a teaching degree from college and because of her love for children, Anna became a schoolteacher at the Plum Grove School.  She taught for two years and after meeting Gerhard Paul Harder, she traded school teaching for being a farm wife and mother.  She and Gerhard were married on October 5, 1945, in Newton and enjoyed 74 years of marriage. 

She worked hard to provide for her family’s needs - always planting a big garden and canning and freezing fruits and vegetables each summer. She made her own soap and frugally reused her wash water 5-6 times over to make sure that she eked out every bit of use of that soap! She and Gerhard made sure the family had a vacation in Colorado every other summer, and together they managed to get by on using only $100 for the entire week. 

She loved to do cross-stitching. Eventually, her 6 children gave her 23 grandchildren and she made each of them a cross-stitch wall hanging. She also enjoyed quilting and she made baby quilts for each family and as the grandchildren got older, she made each of them a quilt. She was also known and loved for her signature cherry tarts, which were a favorite at every family reunion and other potluck events. 

She was a child of God and her times with him were something she treasured each day. She and Gerhard loved reading through the Bible together, enjoying the study Bible notes along with the passages they read. She prayed for all her family regularly. When her grandchildren were small, she bought a spiral notebook and traced each of their hands - one hand per page. Then she wrote specific prayer requests for that child on the 5 fingers.

She is survived by her children Joann Harder, Ron (Janice) Harder, Richard (Glenda) Harder, Jeanette (Walter) Braun, Eileen (Dave) Barkman, Anbeth (Mark) Anderson; 23 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren, sisters in law Ella Regier and Betty Harder and brother-in-law Art Harder. 

Anna went to be with her Savior on Tuesday December 12, 2023, surrounded by family.  She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, grandson Christopher Harder, dear friend, Dolores Greene, brothers Herman and Edwin Regier and sister Clara Schmidt. 

Her family will gather with friends on Friday December 15, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. at Emmaus Church where her funeral service will be held on Saturday December 16, 2023, at 11 a.m. led by Pastor Dr. Tim Mace.  She will be laid to rest in the Emmaus Cemetery.  Lamb Funeral Home, Whitewater is serving the family.  Memorial contributions in her name may be directed to the Emmaus Church for camp ministry at Che Roga Camp in Paraguay or Okutama Bible Chalet in Japan.  Please sign her online guestbook and leave a memory of Anna at www.yazelmeglifh.com.