Thelma Mae Harder

Thelma Harder, 96, of Oak Harbor, Ohio entered Heaven on February 10, 2025 at Riverview Healthcare. She was born to the late Fred and Hilda (Strauch) Beck in her maternal grandparents’ home (Catalpa Corners across from bowling alley) on Nov. 15, 1928 and then grew up on her parent’s farm. She loved being outdoors and driving the horses and began milking cows by hand at age 7. She graduated from the Oak Harbor Schools in 1946 and loved biology and home economics. On Feb. 17, 1951, Thelma married Franklin E. Harder and continued the farm life by driving tractors and milking cows until 2009. Vegetable gardening/canning/freezing was a necessity early on and at one time she tended 5 gardens; later it became more of a hobby as she loved to watch plants grow. She has a giving spirit and truly enjoyed sharing produce with family, friends, and the local pantry. Her hobbies and interests also included scrapbooking, daily journaling, genealogy, making beet wine, visiting classmates for monthly Kozy Corner lunches, as well as traveling to Texas and on bus trips with J&J (Jane and Judy). Covid-19 canceled a much-anticipated trip to Switzerland in 2020 with daughters, Elaine and Linda. After she was unable to drive a car, she still very much enjoyed mowing the lawn on her JD rider.

Thelma has been a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Oak Harbor, Ohio her entire life and enjoyed visiting with fellow members and the monthly gathering to fold the newsletter.

Thelma is survived by her children: son, Raymond (Nancy) Harder, and daughters, Linda McCrery, and Elaine (Jim) Milbrodt; brother, Norman Beck; brother-in-law, Allen (Beverly) Harder; sister-in-law, Carolyn Harder; grandchildren: Steven (Brianne) Harder, Michael (Jen) Harder, Sarah (Brian) Quaintance, Faith McCrery (Casey Perry), Lindsey (David) Slingerland, Christopher Milbrodt, Amy (Ryan) Risch, Heather (Kiel) Whitcum, and Charlotte Scheele. Great-grandchildren include: Mason and Lillian Harder, Olivia and Brooklynn Quaintance, Cass Perry, Kaitlyn, Kayden and Karson Risch, Chloe Milbrodt, Kielie and Cooper Whitcum, James Slingerland, Owen, Kate, and Colleen Hildebrand, as well as many nieces and nephews and their children.

She was preceded in death by her parents; in-laws, Gottfried and Clara Harder; husband, Franklin of 48 years; brothers-in-law: David, Morton, and Vernon Harder, Dale Kline, Bill Krieger, and sisters-in-law: Eileen Krieger, Kathryn Harder, Esther Beck, and Bea Kline.

The family would like to thank Riverview Healthcare for our mother’s care during the past couple years, as well as Heartland Hospice. Funeral services are being arranged with Robinson-Walker Funeral Home, Oak Harbor. Visitation will be from 2-8 PM (family present 2-4 and 6-8) at the funeral home on February 19th with service at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 122 W. Ottawa St., Oak Harbor on February 20th at 10 AM. Burial will be following the service at Union Cemetery on SR 105, Oak Harbor.

Memorials may be given to St. John’s Lutheran Church’s Organ Restoration Fund or General Fund.