Elsie Harder

Elizabeth “Elsie” Harder, age 84, passed away peacefully with family by her side on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at the Meadows, Swift Current, SK.

Elsie was born September 14, 1937 in Herbert, SK to John & Katherina Hildebrand. She was the second eldest of five children and grew up on the family farm north of Gouldtown, SK where she also attended Big Coulee school.

Elsie and Abe Harder took a shine to each other when she was a young teenager at a community dance in 1951. Courting began and they were married July 31, 1955 in the Sommerfeld Mennonite Church in Gouldtown. They lived near Swift Current and then moved to the farm at Gouldtown where they continued to raise their three children — Menno James (1955), Lydia May (1958), and Carol Ann (1960).

During those years, Elsie loved playing ladies softball in Gouldtown and always enjoyed getting together with community neighbours and family to play cards and visit. She loved spending time walking in the coulees behind their farm and thoroughly enjoyed picking berries on her own or with neighbourhood friends. Elsie loved to garden and enjoyed all the canning that resulted. She was well known for her variety of delicious pickles! Elsie also worked outside the home, and throughout their years on the farm, she held various jobs in Herbert including working in the kitchen and laundry at the nursing home as well as the restaurant in the Esso.

Elsie & Abe retired from the farm and moved into Herbert in 1981. Elsie decided she was too young to no longer work and decided to study and attain her Home Care Certificate. She worked for Home Care for a number of years before finally retiring. Elsie enjoyed her yard in town and continued to grow a healthy garden and her yard was always blooming with many flowers.

Elsie loved babies! If she was ever in the same room as one, they always ended up in her arms and there was never a fussy baby she could not sooth. Elsie had an incredible amount of love for her grandchildren. She was always up for babysitting and having them stay over when they were little and enjoyed helping out any way she could as they grew older. She loved spending time with them, playing board games and cards, and she enjoyed heading over to the school to cheer them on in various sports.

Elsie loved camping and loved time with family, so she started the annual tradition of family camping with all her children and grandchildren — she so enjoyed her family in this setting. Elsie found great joy in creating things, so she was always crocheting, knitting, or sewing for herself, her family, and friends when requested. She was skilled at cutting hair and did so for many friends and family members.

Elsie enjoyed serving in her church by being a part of the Ladies Aid at Living Faith Fellowship Church. She also thoroughly enjoyed being a part of weekly Bible Study groups.

Elsie was proud of her German heritage and language and loved teaching her children and grandchildren how to make homemade traditional German dishes like perogies, borscht, noodle soup, and pluma mousse. She loved preparing these meals to bring her family together.

After losing Abe in 2011, Elsie struggled to continue living on her own. She was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia and moved into assisted living in the Herbert Manor in April of 2012, where she resided for three years. As her health continued to decline, it was determined that she required a higher level of care and was moved into the Pioneer Lodge in Swift Current where she lived for one year before the facility closed. From there, Elsie was placed into the Meadows in 2016, where her disease continued to progress, robbing her of absolutely everything except for her dear Saviour, who resided in her.

Elsie was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Abe Harder; her son-in-law, Murray Metke; her parents, John & Katherina Hildebrand; an infant sister, Henrietta Hildebrand; her brother, Elmer Hildebrand; her sister, Esther Lepp; and by her brother-in-law, Jake Lepp.

Elsie will lovingly be remembered by her children, Menno Harder (Shirley Sherwick) and his children, Jenna Harder and Tyler (Thalia) Harder; her daughter, Lydia (Gary) Fast and their children, Leah (Curtis) Vanden Berg (Rex and Logan), Meagan (Ryan) Hoganson, and Andrew (Crystal) Fast; her daughter, Carol Metke and her children, Christina Metke (Adrian Faraguna) (Jade and Ledum), Carrie (Curtis) Klassen (Kalem, Evan, and Alyssa), Matthew Metke, Twila (Jeff) Kachmarski (Logan, Kaden, and Jace), and Travis (Maggie) Metke.

The Private Family Graveside Service was held Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at the Gouldtown Cemetery, Gouldtown, SK with Travis Metke, Tyler Harder, Curtis Vanden Berg, Curtis Klassen, Jeff Kachmarski, and Logan Kachmarski serving as Pallbearers.

In memory of Elsie Harder and for those wishing, donations made to the Alzheimer’s Society or Gideons International (now Shareword Global) would be appreciated by the family. 

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