Gladys Harder

Mass of Christian burial is scheduled for Wednesday, September 7, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Winner, SD. Burial will follow in the Winner City Cemetery. Gladys Marie Harder was the last of four children born to Thomas and Neta (Stoltenburg) Graesser. She was born on May 15, 1929, in Gregory, SD. Gladys attended eight years of country grade school, walking one and a quarter miles to and from school. She graduated Gregory High School in 1946. After graduating she attended one year of college at South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. Upon returning home, she accepted employment at Farmers State Bank in 1948, and worked there until retiring in 1991.

She met James E Harder at Carlock Dance Hall, and was united in marriage on November 16, 1948. The best times of her life came after their daughter Pam was born and while she enjoyed 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 and the Valley Reading Circle, and was a lifetime member of the Ladies VFW Auxiliary.

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

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

She is survived by her husband Jim of 73 years, daughter Pam and husband Rich Kolecka of 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, and Shirley Harder, Newcastle, WY; and numerous nieces and nephews.