Elizabeth "Betty" A. Harder

Elizabeth A. “Betty” Harder, 86, passed away July 27, 2023 at Harmony River Living Center in Hutchinson, Minnesota.

Funeral service will be held at the Bethel Mennonite Church in Mountain Lake on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at the Mountain Lake City Cemetery. Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Mountain Lake. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Betty was born on September 29, 1936 to Henry S. and Anna (Quiring) Quiring in Mt. Lake, Minnesota. She attended Mt. Lake Public School until her sophomore year when the family moved to Marion, South Dakota. Betty then graduated from Marion High School and went on to complete medical technician training. After a time of working as a medical technician, Betty married Walter H. Harder at Gospel Mennonite Church on March 9, 1957. Betty and Walter farmed northeast of Delft, Minnesota where she was actively engaged in operations of the farm. Their marriage was blessed with four daughters, Carol, Sharon, Barbara and Marlene. Betty and Walter shared 42 years of marriage until Walter’s death in 1999. Betty continued to live on the farm until 2003 when she moved to Mt. Lake. In September of 2016, Betty moved to The Lodge in Mt. Lake and, in November of 2017, she moved to Harmony River Living Center in Hutchinson, Minnesota.

Betty accepted Christ as her savior and was baptized upon confession of her faith at the Gospel Mennonite Church. As a church member at First Mennonite Church, Betty taught Sunday School for children and adults, served as treasurer, deacon and on various committees. In her later Mt. Lake years, Betty hosted a weekly ladies Bible study group at her home. She and Walter traveled to several locations to lend a listening ear, caring heart and physical labor with other Mennonite Disaster Service workers. As a mother, Betty was skilled in cooking, sewing, and gardening and passed an enjoyment of these activities on to her daughters at home and through leadership in 4-H. She crocheted many afghan blankets, wove wagon wheel rugs, tied blankets, and quilted. In Betty’s enjoyment and appreciation of reading, she encouraged an appetite for reading in her daughters, as well. As a community member, Betty was involved in the Carson Better Methods Extension Club, Red Hat Ladies, and Heritage Fair, along with years of volunteering at the Care & Share Shop in Mt. Lake. Betty valued time walking and, in seeking other opportunities for weight bearing exercise, she started a Bone Builders group which provided for exercise needs along with the added benefit of developing friendships.

Betty is survived by her four daughters, Carol Harder of Hutchinson, Minnesota, Sharon Harder of Goshen, Indiana, Barbara Harder of Hutchinson, Minnesota and Marlene (Rene’) Horst of Boone, North Carolina; grandchildren, Matias Horst of San Francisco, California and Tali Horst of Springfield, Oregon; brother, Elvin (Dorothy) Quiring of Tuscon, Arizona; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Robert Johnson of Canby,Oregon, Louise Quiring of Mt. Lake, Minnesota, Erna Johnson of Darfur, Minnesota, Florence and Gary Dunker of Mt. Lake, Minnesota; and many nephews and nieces.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Anna Quiring; brothers, Donald Quiring, Arnold (Norma) Quiring, Marvin (LaVilla) Quiring; sister-in-law, Bertha Johnson; brother-in-law, Donald Johnson; and nephews, Dana Quiring and Clark Quiring.