James "Jim" Harder

James "Jim" Sherwood Harder was born on February 1, 1942, at the Mountain Lake hospital to Sam C. and Gertrude (Johnson) Harder. He was a lifelong member at Bethel Mennonite Church in Mountain Lake. He attended Mountain Lake Public School and graduated in the class in 1960.

After school, Jim worked for two and a half years farming with his dad before enlisting in the United States Army in December 1962. He served in Vietnam for a year. Jim was stationed in Biên Hòa as a helicopter mechanic and did some flying of his own. While there he was assigned to military assistant advisory group. When he arrived in Vietnam, there were 16,000 soldiers by the time he left Vietnam there was 20,000 soldiers. Jim received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. He was honorably discharged from the Army at Fort Hood, Texas in 1964, but joined the Army Reserves, where he was honorably discharged in 1968. He was a lifelong member of VFW and the American Legion.

Jim met the love of his life, Joan Bell. The two were united in marriage on September 10, 1971, in Windom, Minnesota. This union blessed them with two sons, Troy, and Trent. Jim farmed his whole life. He truly loved working the land, planting crops, and watching them grow.

Jim was a member on the Christian School Board and Carson Township Board and the Lions Club. He enjoyed spending his time taking many motorcycle trips with family and friends. Jim enjoyed meeting his friends for coffee at the local coffee shop and talking about various topics. He truly treasured spending time with his family and friends.

Jim is survived by his wife, Joan; two sons, Troy, and Trent; brother, Gordon; sisters-in-law, Nancy, Diane, Mary; many nieces, nephews and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brother, Paul; sister, Marlis; brothers-in-law, Bruce, and Rodney.