Harder, Sarah Enns (1897-1959)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1959 Apr 23 p. 3

Birth date: 1897 Feb 25t

text of obituary:

Fatal Accident On Slippery Highway

CLAIMS LIFE OF MRS. JOHN M. HARDER, 62, OF MOUNTAIN LAKE

Mt. Lake, Minn. — A one-car accident north of Butterfield on Saturday, April 11, claimed the life of Mrs. John M. Harder, 62, of Mountain Lake when she fell from the car as it overturned.

Funeral services were conducted at the First Mennonite Church here April 15, Rev. Willard Wiebe and Rev. I. J. Dick officiating.

Mr. and Mrs. Harder were en route home when they unexpectedly came upon a stretch of snow-covered road. The car skidded and overturned in a ditch, pinning Mrs. Harder underneath. Mr. Harder, who was not seriously hurt, was able to right the car and free his wife. She was brought to the Bethel Hospital here, where she died about an hour after the accident.

Survivors in addition to Mr. Harder include one daughter and three sons. Rev. Milton Harder, a son who is in MCC service in Kaiserslautern, Germany, flew home for the funeral.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1959 Apr 30 p. 8

text of obituary:

MRS. JOHN M. HARDER

My dear wife and our loving mother, Sarah Enns Harder, was born on Feb. 25, 1897 at Ulen, Minn., the daughter of Dietrich and Sara Peters Enns. As a young child she with her parents moved to the Butterfield community and lived on a farm four miles northwest of Butterfield which had been homesteaded by her grandparents and which we later purchased.

She attended the public school in Butterfield and also the German Bible School then located close to the First Mennonite Church north of Butterfield. Under such teachers as A. J. Becker, who is presently living in the Eventide home, her life was firmly grounded in the Biblical truths and in the Christian way of life.

Upon her confession of faith she was baptized by Rev. Jacob Stoesz and became a faithful member of the First Mennonite Church of Mt. Lake. Since her father was one of the song leaders in the church, she became one of the early church organists for worship services. In her later years she was an active member of the Oakleaf Mission Society of the church.

On Nov. 28, 1918, she was united in marriage to John M. Harder at her parental farm home. We made our home on a farm three and one-half miles north of Butterfield where we have lived to the present. The Lord blessed us with four children: Margaret (Mrs. John Adrian Jr.) of Butterfield; Milton, presently in MCC service in Germany; Raymond F. and John A. of Butterfield. In 1943 we observed our silver wedding anniversary. In all we were privileged to share life's many blessings and sorrows for over 40 years.

Mother enjoyed traveling and we took many trips together. In the fall of 1957 mother and father visited their children and grandchildren in Germany. She was happy that the Lord saw fit to call one of her sons, Milton, into the Christian ministry.

On Saturday afternoon, April 11, 1959, the Lord very suddenly called her Home through an auto accident while she and father were returning home from Butterfield. She was taken to the Mountain Lake hospital by ambulance during which time she remained conscious but she passed away at the hospital within an hour of the accident. She reached the age of 62 years, one month and 17 days.

She leaves to mourn her departure her husband, four children, one son-in-law, three daughters-in-law, and 10 grandchildren; also two sisters, Mrs. Henry J. Buller, and Mrs. Ben J. Derksen. She was preceded in death by her father in 1941, her mother in 1951, and one brother and two sisters who died in infancy.

We who stay behind will greatly miss our loved one but “We sorrow not as others which have no hope.” I Thess. 4:13.

Rev. Willard Wiebe, pastor of the First Mennonite Church of Mt. Lake, officiated at the services, held April 15. Burial was made in the Mt. Lake Cemetery. — John M. Harder and Children.

The Mennonite obituary: 1959 May 12 p. 302