Obituary of Mary Ann Harder

April 14, 1938 - April 19, 2024

Mary Ann Rempel was born April 14, 1938.  She was the oldest of 5 children born to Jacob and Mary Rempel.  She was raised in the town of Waldheim and often recalled how the “war years” were a difficult time with money and food being in short supply.  It was through the help of friends, neighbors, and extended family that everyone got by.  She attended school in Waldheim and graduated in 1956. 

When she was still quite young, Henry Feyerabend, the local store owner invited MaryAnn and several other children to attend Sunday school.  It was there that she was first introduced to her loving heavenly Father and her Savior Jesus Christ.  At some point in her youth MaryAnn saw the need to repent of her sins and surrender her life to Jesus Christ who would become her faithful companion to the end.

After high school MaryAnn attended Briercrest Bible School in southern Saskatchewan for three years.  There her faith in Christ deepened and she developed several life-long friendships.  There she also began a relationship with Arthur Harder who would become her husband a few years later. 

In 1959 MaryAnn moved to Saskatoon and began training to become a registered nurse.  Art also moved to Saskatoon and began studying to become an accountant.   They were married in 1963 and the story of MaryAnn became the story of Art and MaryAnn.  They lived and worked in Saskatoon and purchased a house on Alexandra Avenue.  The first two children, Cheryl (1964) and Randall (1965) were born during this time. 

When Art’s father suddenly passed away in 1967, they took the opportunity to move back to Waldheim to pursue Art’s desire to farm.  MaryAnn moved her nursing career to the hospital in Rosthern and Art attempted to raise hogs and farm a couple of quarters of land.  In the next few years several more children were added to the family: Warren (1968), Russell (1969) and Darren (1972).  The farming venture was not successful, and Art eventually returned to accounting while MaryAnn continued to work in Rosthern. 

MaryAnn continued to trust her heavenly Father through all the joys and difficulties they encountered.  She learned to embrace the opportunities God placed in front of her to share his love and kindness with others.  Her obedience to her Savior would eventually lead her to prison but only as a visitor.  Over more than a decade, through the Person To Person Ministry, her and Art would stablish friendships with men serving time.  Some of these men would move out to their farm upon completing their time while attempting to get reestablished in society.  Her obedience would also lead to the completion of the family through the adoption of their son Shawn in 1979. 

MaryAnn quit nursing at that time and never returned.  Her energy went into raising a family and growing a massive garden each summer and if she had free time, pursuing her Barbie Doll collection.  She also began listening to Thru The Bible program on the radio with Paster J Vernon Magee.  By the time she passed away she would complete 8 or more studies through the bible, each lasting 5 years.

With the children all grown and moved out, Art and MaryAnn moved off the farm and into Waldheim in the year 2000.  Together they established a large garden with fruit trees in the back yard.  They also continued to be obedient to God, reaching out to neighbors in need and giving generously to God’s work around the world.  They were quiet about their giving and the extent of it is only know by themselves and God.  They sponsored a dozen or more kids in India, they provided many bibles to the Ukraine with money supplied through selling grapes from her vine or some other venture she undertook.  MaryAnn also knit over 300 rugs with the proceeds going to local missions.

MaryAnn died from congestive heart failure.  She passed away peacefully in her home on April 19^th.  She was preceded in death by two brothers, Archie and Harry and her husband Arthur.  She is remembered by her two sisters, Gladys and Debbie, her six children and their spouses, 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  While she scarcely left her home for the last 15 years, her kindness and love, and her obedience to her heavenly Father allowed her to change the lives of people world-wide.  She will be missed by many, but we rejoice that she is in the presence of Jesus.

 

A Private Memorial will be held

and interment of her ashes will take place

at Salem Cemetery, Waldheim, SK.