Obituary of John Harder

John M. Harder, 76, of Doniphan, Missouri, died Wednesday evening, May 12, 2010, at his residence. Mr. Harder, son of the late Claude and Mabel (Dodd) Harder, was born January 6, 1934, in Alton, Missouri. A 1953 graduate of Doniphan High School, Mr. Harder excelled on the Doniphan Dons basketball program, earning all-state honors his junior and senior year of high school. He attended Hannibal LaGrange College on a basketball scholarship. Mr. Harder lived in Lombard, Illinois, for many years and had worked in Chicago as Branch Manager for the Bardahl Oil Company. He moved back to Doniphan in 1970. He was co-owner and manager of Days Inn and Oak Tree Village in Doniphan for several years. He was a member of the First Methodist Church in Elmhurst, Illinois. Mr. Harder enjoyed his grandchildren, politics, travel and was an avid Chicago Bears fan. On June 30, 1956, he was married to JoAnne Poe in St. Louis. She survives. Also surviving are three children; Erich Harder and his wife, Kelly, Elizabeth Casteel and her husband, Michael, all of Doniphan, and Jacqueline Harder and her fiance, Larry Rehwald, of Springfield, Missouri; seven grandchildren, Kaylee, Karlee , Marissa , Payden John, Jake, Justin and Kennedy; one sister, Peggy Harder of Austin, Texas; one sister-in-law, Byrdie Harder of Orangeburg, South Carolina; and several nieces and nephews. Mr. Harder was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Blaine O'Neal, Claude Harder and Bill Harder. The funeral service will take place Sunday, May 16, 2010, at 3:00 p.m. at the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Doniphan with Brother Kent Wilfong officiating. Entombment will be in the Doniphan Mausoleum in Doniphan. Visitation will begin prior to the service starting at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P. O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142.