Funeral services for 70-year-old Kent Harder of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning, October 22, 2016, at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie. The church is located at 6630 Shady Oak Road.
Visitation will be at the church the day of the funeral service from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
He passed away in his home in Eden Prairie on Monday, October 17, 2016.
Online condolences may be sent to http://sturmfh.com/tribute/details/5847/Kent-Harder/condolences.html#content-start.
Kent Robert Harder was born July 7, 1946 in Mountain Lake, Minnesota. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in 1967 from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Kent moved to Akron, Pennsylvania to work for MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) delivering medical goods to the ports of New York to be shipped overseas.
Kent met Sharon at MCC and they were married in 1970. They continued to volunteer with MCC 46 years later to help with the packing and shipping of humanitarian goods around the world.
The couple began married life in 1970 in Toronto, Canada. They then returned to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities for Kent’s Masters degree. He worked in commodity trading until 1977, at which time he and two friends started their own company, Agri Trading in Hutchinson, Minnesota. The company grew to become Grain Millers in 1988, and after further growth, Kent and Sharon moved to Eden Prairie in 1998.
Kent retired in 2003 and pursued his interests of fishing, scuba diving for the REEF organization and enjoying nature. Kent has always been active in his church (Wooddale) and in attending his grandchildren’s activities.
Next to God, family has always been his first priority. He prayed daily (by name) for each one – sons and families, Curt and Natalie, London and Piper and Cullen and Stacy, Ireland, Gisella and Victoria. When Kent said he would pray for someone (whether family or friends) it wasn’t just words; he never missed a day.
Kent said he knew a little about everything, but he really knew a lot about everything. In fact, his grandchildren referred to him as “Google Kent.”
Kent is survived by his wife, Sharon Harder of Eden Prairie; sons, Curt (Natalie) Harder and Cullen (Stacy) Harder, both of Eden Prairie; grandchildren, London, Piper, Ireland, Gisella and Victoria; brother, Bruce (Kathy) Harder, along with many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Wilma Harder.