Bessie Harder

Bessie Harder, age 86, died of cancer on Sunday, March 25, 2012, at the Sanford hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, surrounded by family members. Bessie Mae Zimmerly was born July 10, 1925 to Edwin P. and Mary Bixler Zimmerly at their farm home in Wayne County, Ohio, the third in a family of five boys and five girls. She worked at home from a very early age, cooking, cleaning, milking, gardening, plowing with horses, and selling orchard produce. She attended grades one through eight at Boone's School and would have liked to continue her education, but her help was needed to support the family. She was baptized in 1940 in Sonnenberg Mennonite Church. Bessie worked as a Mennonite Central Committee volunteer from 1947-1949 at Cleveland State Hospital in Ohio, Skillman Epileptic Village in New Jersey, and Brook Lane Farm in Maryland. While helping to establish Brook Lane Psychiatric Center, she met Albert Harder. They were married May 1, 1949 near Kidron, Ohio and then moved to Mountain Lake, Minnesota. The next seven years they moved back and forth between Kidron; Warroad, Minnesota; and Mountain Lake. In 1956 they settled on a farm six miles southeast of Mountain Lake, and in 1994 moved to Mountain Lake. Albert died in 2003. Bessie joined the First Mennonite Church of Mountain Lake in 1963 where she held many positions including educator, deacon, and various roles with the Mission Society. She was on the program committee of the Northern District of the General Conference Mennonite Church and enjoyed volunteering at the Good Samaritan Village. She also coordinated the MCC trainee program in Mountain Lake for many years. Gardening and spending time with her grandchildren were sources of joy. Bessie married Jacob Jake A. Dick June 12, 2009 after developing a very close friendship. Bessie is survived by her husband Jake; five children: Rebecca Aum of Mendocino, CA, Rachel (Nevin) Diener of Grottoes, VA, David (Pratoomporn) Harder of Butterfield, Maryann Harder of Mountain Lake, and Wilma (Barb Swartley) Harder of Goshen, IN; three step-children: Mary (Martin) Harder of Minneapolis, MN, Norman (Rosalie) Dick of Mountain Lake, and Marlin (Mary) Erin of Beaver Falls, PA; seven grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren; three great grandsons; two sisters and four brothers: Lydia McClintock, Dan (Donna) Zimmerly, Dave (Barb) Zimmerly, Lillie Steffen, Jim (Carol) Zimmerly, and Ray (Hilda) Zimmerly; and in-laws: Denver Welty, Estella Harder, Lawrence (Kathy) Harder, Leo (Gladys) Harder, and Walter Harder. Preceding Bessie in death were her first husband Albert; brother and sisters: Lester Zimmerly, Ida Welty, and Ruth Zimmerly; in-laws: Lou Zimmerly, Ernie Steffen, Theresa Harder, Harry (Anna) Harder, Anna (Marvin) Nickel, Jake W. Harder, and Joyce Harder. Donations may be made to the Minn-Kota Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale. Minn-Kota MCC Sale, c/o Anita Neufeld, 44760 283rd St, Hurley, SD 57036. First Visitation 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Friday, March 30, 2012 Sturm Funeral Home, Mountain Lake 420 10th St. N. Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159 Second Visitation 9:30 am - 9:45 am Saturday, March 31, 2012 Sturm Funeral Home, Mountain Lake 420 10th St. N. Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159