Harder, Anna Nickel (1879-1956)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Feb 9 p. 6

Birth date: 1879 Oct 30

text of obituary:

. . .

— Word was received here of the death of Mrs. A. H. Harder at Vineland, Ontario on Feb. 1. Funeral services were to be held at Vineland on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 5. Among the surviving children is a son, Rev. H. N. Harder of Bloomington, Ill. and well known in the Newton community.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 May 3 p. 8

text of obituary:

MRS. ABRAM H. HARDER

My dear wife and our beloved mother Anna Nickel Harder (Mrs. Abram H. Harder) has now experienced both life and death. She was born Oct. 30, 1879, at Kleefeld, Russia to Gerhard Nickel and Sarah Abrahams and given the name Anna. In 1898, at the age of 19, she was baptized upon the confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior by the Elder David nickel and became a member of the Mennonite Church.

On May 29, 1901, she was united in marriage to Abram H. Harder. To this union were born eight children, one daughter and seven sons. In 1918 an orphan from St. Petersburg, John P. Odin, then 16 years old was taken into the family. Mother loved him as one of her own children.

In July, 1924, she migrated with her family to Canada. Following a brief stay of three months in the Mennonite community of Blumental, near Waterloo, Ontario the family settled on a farm at Arnaud, Manitoba. In 1934 the parents and two children, Sara and Ted, moved to Vineland, Ontario where she lived until her death on Feb. 1, 1956, at the age of 76 years, three months and one day.

Mother was in ill health for several years. She was confined to her bed five months and 11 days. During the days of sickness she was given loving and faithful care by her only daughter and husband.

Mother's memory and the result of her life among us will long live with us. She faithfully served the church as a minister's wife. She was a faithful wife and a loving mother, devoted to her family and her church. It can be said of her, "She hath done what she could." "The Lord giveth and the Lord hath taken away." As the Lord calls his faithful to their to their eternal resting place, He also calls them to greater service. May the life that she lived among us serve to inspire us to greater service in the church and for the total cause of Christ.

In the days of her illness she was a good patient, always appreciative of every kindness and service and love. She was resigned to the will of God and longed to be at home with the Lord.

Her parents, brothers and sisters, one grandson and three daughters-in-law preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband, seven sons and their wives, one daughter, 29 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and one sister, Sara, Mrs. D. P. Eitzen of Mountian Lake, Minn.

On Oct. 30, 1955, she had the joy of having all of her children at home. This was the first family reunion in 30 years. The children are: George, Sara, Abe and John of Vineland, Henry N. of Bloomington, Ill., Peter of Arnaud, Manitoba, Arthur and Ted of Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario, and one foster son, John P. Odin of Ottawa, Canada.

She was laid to rest Feb. 5 at Vineland, Ontario. The brethren Nic Franzen, John W. Neufeld, John Dyck and John J. Wichert spoke words of comfort and hope.