Gladys Harder, 93

Gladys Harder, 93, of Winner, SD passed away on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022 at the Avera Rosebud Country Care Center in Gregory, SD. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022 at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD.  Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery.  Visitation was held on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church from 6-7 p.m. with a rosary beginning at  7 p.m.

Gladys Marie Harder was the last of four children born to Thomas and Neta Graesser (Stoltenburg).  She was born on May 15, 1929 in Gregory, South Dakota.

Gladys attended 8 years of country grade school walking 1 ¼ miles to and from school.  She graduated Gregory High School in 1946.  After graduating she attended 1 year of college at South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD.  When returning home, she accepted employment at Farmers State Bank in 1948 and worked there until retiring in 1991.

She met the love of her life at the Carlock Dance Hall and was united in marriage to James E Harder on Nov. 16, 1948.  The best times of her life were after their daughter Pam was born and enjoying their home in Winner until moving to Golden Prairie Manor in 2015.

Gladys especially liked bowling leagues and entered most of the state tournaments.  She enjoyed baking, especially making chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies, often with her sister Myra.  One of her biggest joys was helping take care of her two grandsons.

Gladys was a member of the Winner Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Valley Reading Circle & lifetime member of the Ladies VFW Auxiliary.

She was preceded in death by her parents Tom and Neta, sisters Myra (Bob) Stukel, Norma (Bill) Knox and brother Walt (Arlene) Graesser & brothers-in-law, Jerry, William & Tom Harder.

Grateful for having shared in her life is husband Jim of 73 years, daughter Pam and husband Rich Kolecka, Winner, SD, grandsons Mark Kolecka, Pierre SD, and Chad Kolecka, Omaha, NE, sisters-in-law Jean Ann Harder, Rapid City, SD, Gladys Harder, Creighton, NE, Shirley Harder, Newcastle, WY and numerous nieces and nephews.

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