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George W Harms

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George W Harms

Birth	:	20 Jan 1896 Bloomfield Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa, USA
Death	:	12 Jan 1975 Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa, USA
Burial	:	Saint Benedict Cemetery, Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate	:	43.2835999, -91.7818985
Description	:	A well known Decorah man, George W. Harms, Sheriff of Winneshiek County for 16 years and beloved by several generations of Winneshiek County children who remember him as Santa Claus, a role he played for 55 years died January 12, 1975 at the Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital following a stroke and pneumonia. Mr. Harms was born in Bloomfield Township, Winneshiek County, on January 20, 1896, the son of Lizzie Novak Harms and Fritz N. Harms. He attended grade and high school in Calmar and after graduation went into partnership with his father in Harms and Son Transfer business in... Read More	A well known Decorah man, George W. Harms, Sheriff of Winneshiek County for 16 years and beloved by several generations of Winneshiek County children who remember him as Santa Claus, a role he played for 55 years died January 12, 1975 at the Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital following a stroke and pneumonia. Mr. Harms was born in Bloomfield Township, Winneshiek County, on January 20, 1896, the son of Lizzie Novak Harms and Fritz N. Harms. He attended grade and high school in Calmar and after graduation went into partnership with his father in Harms and Son Transfer business in 1916. He was a machine-gunner during World War I in the Alsace-Lorraine-Metz sector of France. He returned to Calmar in 1919 and was employed by the Railway Express. On July 25, 1921 he was married to the former Mildred Johnson of Fergus Falls, Minn. During his early years of marriage, George and Mildred played for many wedding and barn dances, he on the violin or banjo and she on the piano. He also ran two mail routes on contract from Calmar to Prosper, Minn., from 1931 to 1935. In 1936 he was elected Sheriff of Winneshiek County on the Democratic ticket and held this office for 16 years until 1952, the longest term of any sheriff in the County. In 1955 he and Mrs. Harms moved to a farm across from Nob Hill on Highway 52 north. In 1957 he started driving a school bus for Canoe Township and later for North Winneshiek school. He also policed dances at Matter's for many years and worked at the gate during the Winneshiek County Fair. He had been playing Santa Claus for the past 55 years, including the past two years of his residency at the Decorah Retirement Center. His hobby was raising ponies and driving them in the Centennial celebrations and the Mabel-Hesper Steam Engine Days. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1975 at 11 a.m.at St. Benedict's church. The Rev. Edward Lechtenberg will conduct services with burial in St. Benedict's cemetery. Organist will be Al Sensor with Marlin Fretheim as soloist. Steine Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Pallbearers willbe Alan Erickson, Dwayne Houdek, Marvin Houdek, Donald Stromseth, Vernon Vine and Lloyd Wohlford. Honorary pallbearers will be Frank Miller, Harry Haugen, Robert Hitesman, Julian Moe, Mel Sattre, Gene Simenson, Clifford Vine and Ernest Vine. Mr. Harms is survived by one daughter, Virginia, (Mrs. Fred McLain); four grandchildren, Bill and Jim McLain, farming at home; Barb McLain, teaching in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and Mike McLain, a student at Ames; also two great-grandchildren, Michelle and Jaime McLain; one brother, Harold Harms of Hiawatha, Kansas; one sister, Rosella (Mrs. Charles Houdek) of Burr Oak and one aunt, Mrs. Margrete Leeper of Richland Center, Wis., plus many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, two sisters and his wife, who died June 23, 1969. He was a member of St. Benedict's church, a 56 year member of the Halvorson-Giesen American Legion Post No. 266 at Calmar and of the World War I Barracks No. 1266 of Decorah. Decorah Public Opinion, January 14, 1975 Contributor: Norman Hjelmeland (48176912)

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is George W Harms's memorial?
George W Harms's memorial is located at: Saint Benedict Cemetery, Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA.
When did George W Harms death?
George W Harms death on 12 Jan 1975 in Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa, USA
Where are the coordinates of the George W Harms's memorial?
Latitude: 43.2835999
Longitude: -91.7818985

Family Members:

Parent

Fritz Herman Harms

(1867 - 1955)

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Novak Harms

(1874 - 1931)

Spouse

Mildred M Johnson Harms

(1895 - 1969)

Siblings

Harold Herman Harms

(1899 - 1979)

Rosella Harms Houdek

(1908 - 1989)

Children

Virginia Harms McLain

(1922 - 2014)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Saint Benedict Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2835999, -91.7818985

2. Phelps Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2908150, -91.7830920

3. Lutheran Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2987130, -91.7774110

4. Freeport Cemetery
Freeport, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3006000, -91.7430000

5. Aasa Haugen Home Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2698330, -91.8421110

6. Union Prairie Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2585983, -91.8368988

7. North Washington Prairie Pioneer Cemetery
Washington Prairie, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2560997, -91.7236023

8. Washington Prairie Norwegian Methodist Cemetery
Washington Prairie, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2352982, -91.7433014

9. Washington Prairie Lutheran Church Cemetery
Washington Prairie, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2378006, -91.7378006

10. Bruvold Farm Cemetery
Nordness, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2221968, -91.7509863

11. Springfield Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2221985, -91.8171997

12. McIntosh Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2696991, -91.8833008

13. Canoe German Methodist Church Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3529000, -91.7358000

14. Russell Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3608017, -91.7885971

15. Glenwood Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2947998, -91.6760406

16. Madison Lutheran Church East Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3133000, -91.8986000

17. Garfield Family Cemetery
Conover, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2266900, -91.8846700

18. Springwater Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3792000, -91.7431030

19. Madison Settlement Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2607994, -91.9233017

20. Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2817001, -91.6346970

21. Madison Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3135986, -91.9233017

22. Scandinavian Methodist-Episcopal Cemetery
Washington Prairie, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2695000, -91.6347000

23. Pontoppidan Cemetery
Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2747002, -91.6339035

24. Hauge Lutheran Cemetery
Decorah, Winneshiek County, USA
Coordinate: 43.3922000, -91.7740000