"Harriet was a wonderful lady! Her and I shared a birthday...not same year but was on May 17...so we always exchanged birthday greetings! She enjoyed her birthdays as well as enjoyed attending church when the weather was favorable and she felt OK. I will miss her...especially next year on May 17... HUGs to the family....Arlene Risius"
In loving memory of
Harriet G. Harms
May 17, 1926 - November 26, 2016
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, November 30, 2016, at First Reformed Church, Buffalo Center, with Pastor Bill Peake officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, November 29, 2016, at Winter Funeral Home, Buffalo Center. Graveside services will be held in Olena Mound cemetery, Buffalo Center.
Harriet G. Harms was born at Ledyard, Iowa, on May 17, 1926, the first child of Reiner and Edna (Ricks) Harringa. She was baptized in the Bethany Reformed Church at Ledyard by Pastor Theo Mueller and confirmed in the Buffalo Center United Methodist Church. She grew up in Ledyard, Buffalo Center and Lakota, attending schools in Buffalo Center, Lakota and German I country school, she graduated from 8th grade. She had to take an exam to attend high school in Buffalo Center, graduating in 1944.
April 6, 1945, Harriet married Ubbie Harms at the Algona Methodist parsonage by Rev. Nelson A. Price. A snow storm on the 3rd made it impossible on impassable roads to keep the original plans for a April 4th wedding. They started farming near Buffalo Center. In 1952 they moved to Bancroft, Iowa. While there, Harriet worked at Welp's Hatchery. Later they moved to Forest City, Clear Lake and Crystal Lake. She held various jobs: Forest City School cook, Stitchcraft sewer, E. F. Johnson's, Timely Mission Nursing Home and helped Ubbie at Church.
Harriet enjoyed sewing, family history, scrap booking and volunteering at the nursing home. She like to be with her grandchildren and great grandchildren, interested in what each one achieved and planned for their life.
Harriet Harms, 90, of Buffalo Center, died Saturday at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa, Mason City.
Harriet is survived by three daughters; Joanne Steinmetz and Terry of Northwood, IA, Ruth Barber and David of Luverne, MN, and Cheryl Bakken and James of Forest City; twelve grandchildren: Kenneth Skjeie and Teresa, David Skjeie, Rick Skjeie and Shelly of Forest City, Michael Skjeie of Golden Valley, AZ, Dr. Dale Steinmetz and Joan of Waukee, Beth Heller and Mark of Nevada, IA, Dr. Laurel Willing and Isaac of Kansas City, MO, Sara Baringer and Benjamin of Indianola, IA, Cheila Frayne and Bryan, Dawn Mills and Jeremy, Bradley Bakken and Brooke of Garner and Brenda Simon and Edward of Mason City. Twenty-seven great-grandchildren made Harriet Smile. Amanda, Nicole, Chelsia, Caleb, Bailee, Carlee, Rylee, Brody, Kenedee, Dalton, Emerson, McCoy, Caitlin, Drew, Jordan, Adria, Payton, Audrey, Blake, Carter, Annabelle, Elias, Silas, Joshua, Carman, Brianne, and Bristelle. She has two great-great grandchildren: Gage and Oliver. She is also survived by two brothers: Melvin Harringa and Ruth of Buffalo Center and Raymond Harringa of Albert Lea, MN, and Two sisters: Virginia and Judy Harringa of Buffalo Center.
Harriet was preceded in death by her husband Ubbie in 2003; three sisters: Adeline Harringa in 1937, Darlene Beresford in 1985 and Marilyn Harringa in 2016; sister-in-law Susan Harringa in 1986; a grandson, Baby Bakken in 1969; a great-granddaughter, McKinley in 2007; and by her parents, Reiner in 1961 and Edna in 1989.
Harriet will be remembered as a dedicated wife and mother. She strived to live her life by God's word and impressing upon her children "Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:11
Tributes
"So sorry for the loss of mother, grandmother, and sister. Harriet was so good about keeping me updated on births, deaths, etc. in the Harringa/Helmers family. My mother, Grace (Helmers) Boyken was in a nursing home for about six years with Alzheimers. She enjoyed looking at Harriet's genealogy book over and over again because those were the things she remembered. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. Milly (Boyken) Burroughs"