HARDEN, Elmer Lee

HARDEN, GIBB, HEAP, PICKEN, CARLTON, BRILLHART, RUIZ, BAHREY, RYAL, SKELLENGER, THOMPSON, LINK

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 3/21/2018 at 11:01:16

Obituary ~ Elmer Lee Harden
February 27, 1925 ~ October 15, 1996

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
October 17, 1996

MASON CITY -- Elmer Lee Harden, 71, of 1118 Manor Drive, died Tuesday (Oct. 15, 1996) at his home.

The body was cremated. There will be no visitation. Hogan-Bremer Colonial Chapel, 126 Third St. N.E., is in charge of arrangements.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Faith Baptist Church, 1807 S. Kentucky Ave., with the Rev. Miles M. Grismore officiating. Inurnment will be held Saturday at the Raritan Cemetery, Raritan, Ill.

Memorials may be given to Hospice of North Iowa or Faith Baptist Church in memory of Elmer Lee Harden.

Elmer Lee Harden was born Feb. 27, 1925, in Point Pleasant Township, Warren County, in western Illinois, son of Elmer A. and Pearl E. (Gibb) Harden.

Elmer graduated from Media-Weaver High School in 1943. He married classmate Wanda Alice Heap on Aug. 12, 1945. They moved to Mason City in November of 1963 from Point Pleasant Township.

He farmed from 1946 to 1963 and became an auctioneer and real estate agent in 1954. He taught auctioneering for many years in Mason City and operated Harden Realty until his health failed.

He was president of the Mason City Greater Board of Realtors in 1986.

Elmer and Wanda operated the Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Store in Mason City from 1967 until 1985. They also owned the Bell Motel from 1977 until 1991.

Elmer gave his life to the Lord when he was 9 years old. He was licensed as a Baptist Lay minister in 1966 serving many churches in the area in all phases of church work.

He is survived by his wife, Wanda, Mason City; four daughters, Connie Lynn Picken and her husband, Arlyn, of Bellevue; April Joy Carlton and her husband, Stanley, of Arvada, Colo.; Ginger Lee Brillhart and her husband, Bill, of Broomfield, Colo., and Echo Mae Ruiz and her husband, Thomas, of Mason City; one son, Elmer Rae Harden and his wife, Bonnie, Mason City; eight grandchildren, Heidi (Picken) Bahrey, Woodenville, Wash.; Heath Picken, Iowa City; Locke Brillhart, Denver, Colo.; CoCo Brillhart, Greeley, Colo.; Matthew and Autumn Ruiz, both of Mason City, and Andrew Elmer Harden and Ashley Harden, both of Mason City; three step- grandchildren, Eric Carlton, Arvada, Colo.; Stacey (Skellenger) Ryal, Mason City, and Shayne Skellenger, stationed in the Marines at Bangor Navel Base, Wash.; two sisters, Edna Mae Thompson and her husband, Bud, Roseville, Ill., and Eva Marie Link, Media, Ill.; and one brother, Eldon Harden, Macomb, Ill.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Herman and Howard Harden.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2018