Frieda Hilda Harder was born on a farm east of Inman, Kansas to John W. and Anna (Doerksen) Wiens on June 8, 1926. She was the oldest and only daughter, followed by her three brothers, Ernie, Wilbur and Edwin. They all attended Inman Grade School and graduated from Inman High School. She was a lifelong Inman resident until her passing on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at the age of 97 years.
Growing up, Frieda’s parents had cows and she would often enjoy milking them. She enjoyed it so much she would bribe her brothers with a piece of pie as a trade to milk the cows. Of course, they gladly accepted this. A neighbor’s cow got out of the pasture and ran straight for Frieda when she was younger, playing in the sandpile on the north side of their home. She got ran over by the cow and became scared, but luckily wasn’t hurt.
She remembered traveling to Colorado Springs with the H.E. Kroeker family and how much fun she had on that trip. They stayed in cabins and cooked all their meals together.
Her parents were custodians for Bethel Mennonite Church. Frieda would often help her parents with their duties. They were faithful members of the church and Frieda taught Sunday School for many years at Bethel Church and Crestview Bible Church where she was a current member. In all, she taught over 30 years of Bible School.
Frieda really enjoyed working in the Telephone Office in Inman, where she worked for a number of years. She also worked for Johnson Produce candling eggs. She loved Saturday evenings when friends would come to visit or go into the stores. Frieda enjoyed dressing up and going to the place she worked just to relax and visit with people. She had worked in a café on Main Street, washing dishes and making hamburgers. Frieda saved up money from this job to purchase most of the furniture when she and Millie were first married.
She was united in marriage to Milford John “Millie” Harder on October 14, 1951 in Inman. From this union, five children were born. Their first son, Gary Lee, lived only three days until the Lord took him Home.
Frieda and Millie went on to have four more children, Allen, Alice, Jeanette and Jane. All of their children were all married at Crestview Bible Church in Hutchinson, Kansas, by the same pastor, Rodney Goertzen.
She and Millie shared 66 years of marriage together before his passing on August 27, 2017.
Frieda was very thankful the Lord had led her, Millie, and their family on their journey through life. She was grateful for God’s blessings and guidance in her and her family’s lives. Frieda will be remembered and missed by the residents at Pleasant View Home, as many would hear her say “Amen” and “Praise the Lord” when they would walk past her open door.
She is survived by her son, Allen (Miriam) Harder of Omaha, NE; daughters, Alice (Tim) Koehn of Okeene, OK, Jeanette (Gary) Freel of Clovis, CA, and Jane (Scott) Schriner of Inman; 11 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and brothers, Wilbur (Reta) Wiens of Inman, and Edwin (Twila) Wiens of Houston, TX.
Frieda was preceded in death by her husband; parents; son, Gary Lee Harder; and brother, Ernie Wiens.
Cremation is planned with memorial services to be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 6, 2024 at the Pleasant View Home Chapel, 108 N Walnut, Inman, Kansas, 67546. Private burial will take place at North Inman Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Pleasant View Home in care of Buhler Mortuary, PO Box 589, Buhler, KS 67522.