Bernard C. Harders

Bernard C. Harders, 84, of Grand Island died Saturday, July 25, 2015, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Grand Island.

Graveside memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. The Rev. James Fandrey will officiate. To honor Bernards wishes, his body was cremated.

The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Apfel Funeral Home.

Mr. Harders was born July 9, 1931, in rural Wood River, to Carl and Alvira (Kroeger) Harders.

Survivors include his wife, Donna Harders of Grand Island; sons and daughters-in-law, Martin and Jaqueline Harders of Johnstown, Colo.; Kenny and Sheila Haas of Valley Center, Kan.; Rod and Renee Haas of Buhler, Kan.; and Mark and Keke Haas of Maize, Kan.; daughters and sons-in-law, Pam and Dale Rauch of Grand Island, Shelly Hartmann of Grand Island and Denis and Mike Unruh of Sedgwick, Kan.; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Eleanor and Tom Tockey of Maxwell, and Carol Fredrick of Cairo; 16 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Bernard grew up and received his education in rural Wood River. He entered the U.S. Army in 1953 and received his honorable discharge in 1955.

He married Donna Haas on Feb. 27, 1988, at Port Charlotte, Fla. They lived in Mt. Hope, Kan., where Bernard was self-employed in the land leveling business. They moved to rural Wood River in 1997, and then to Grand Island in November 2011.

Bernard was a member of Christ Lutheran Church of Cairo and the Saddle Club, and a former member of the Hall County Airport Authority, the Flying Farmers and numerous cattle associations.

He enjoyed fishing and he loved to fly.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and sons, Mike Haas and Joel Harders.

Memorials are suggested to Christ Lutheran Church of Cairo.