Harms, Anna Unruh (1880-1963)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1963 Sep 19 p. 8

Birth date: 1880 Dec 4

text of obituary:

MRS. ANNA HARMS

Mrs. Anna (Unruh) Harms, daughter of Kornelius and Anna (Funk) Unruh, was born on Dec. 4, 1880 in the Goessel, Kan. community. Here she spent the days of her youth and also received her formal education. In her youth she accepted Christ as her personal Saviour and was baptized on May 21, 1899, by Rev. Peter Balzer and united with the Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church.

On March 14, 1912, she was united in marriage to H. H. Harms, thus becoming a stepmother to eight sons and one daughter. During this time, while living on a farm east of Hesston, she transferred her membership to the Grace Hill Mennonite Church.

In August of 1929 they moved to Newton where she made her home until she became a resident of the Bethesda Home for Aged in Goessel in 1957. Upon coming to Newton she transferred her membership to the First Mennonite Church where she remained a loyal and faithful member until her death. Her husband preceded her in death on Jan. 10, 1946. Together they lived a life of mutual love and happiness for more than 38 years.

Physically she had not been very strong for a number of years. It was a great handicap to her that she was hard of hearing, but spiritually she had a profound faith and trust in God. Her own testimony was expressed in the following words, “In my spiritual life I have had many trials and find nothing but sin in me, but believe that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is my righteousness too, and that His Word is higher than my emotions.”

A stepson, Valentine Harms, died in 1961, and a stepdaughter, Marie, died in April 1945.

She was called home to her eternal reward on August 28, 1963, at the age of 82 years. Survivors include seven stepsons, Leonard O. Harms of Route 3, Newton, Emil C. of Hamilton, Ont., Paul G. of Drake, Sask., Theodore H. of Wellington, Kan., Isaac S. of Whitewater, Kan., William F. of McPherson, Kan., and Henry E. of Denver, Colo.; three sisters, Mrs. Isaac B. Fast and Mrs. P. J. Schmidt, both of Route 3, Newton, and Miss Mary Unruh of Topeka; one brother, Henry F. Unruh of Newton; 22 step grandchildren and a number of step great-grandchildren.

Memorial services were held Friday forenoon, Aug. 30, at the First Mennonite Church of Newton. Rev. Arnold Epp officiated, assisted by Rev. Aaron Epp and Rev. J. E. Entz. Burial was made in the Grace Hill Mennonite Cemetery.