HARMS, Raymond Francis

HARMS, HELMS, HOLLATZ, CALLANAN

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 10/15/2013 at 15:51:10

Raymond Francis Harms, 85, 1310 Village Road, Clear Lake, died Wednesday, May 5, 2010, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.

A funeral service will be held for Raymond Saturday, May 22, at the Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Dean Hess officiating from Zion Lutheran Church. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, with full military honors conducted by members of the Clear Lake V.F.W. Memorials may be directed to the Raymond F. Harms Memorial in care of Helen Harms, 1310 Village Road B 2, Clear Lake, Iowa 50428.

Raymond Francis Harms was born March 9, 1925, in Rockwell, Iowa the son of George and Helen (Helms) Harms. Raymond graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1943. He enlisted into the United States Navy Oct. 16, 1943, serving in WWII and the Korean War; and later was honorably discharged.

On March 12, 1950 Raymond was united in marriage to Helen Hollatz at the St. John’s Lutheran Church, Garner, Iowa. To this union three children were born. Raymond began working for Peoples Gas & Electric, later becoming Interstate Power and now Alliant Energy. His combined service was 40 years. He retired in 1987.

Raymond enjoyed fishing, including trips to Minnesota and Canada, gardening, traveling and he was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan. Raymond and Helen were snow birds when it came to the Iowa winters; wintering in Arizona for 17 years. Raymond was an active member in the Lutheran Church. Raymond was a great family man, husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and will be greatly missed.

Raymond is survived by his wife, Helen Harms, Clear Lake; children, Claudia Harms, Fort Dodge, Iowa, James (Joan) Harms, Clinton, Iowa, Donald (Mary) Harms, Mason City; grandchildren, Katie (Erin) Lyons, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Marie (Matt) Ott, Ankeny, Iowa, Nicole Harms, West Des Moines, Iowa, Christine Harms, Cedar Falls; one great-grandchild, Regan Lyons, Cedar Falls; his twin brother, Ralph (Margaret) Harms, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; along with several brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.

Raymond is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Floyd Harms; sister, Emma Callanan Shotton and granddaughter, Jennifer Lynn Harms.