Harms, Opal Mae (1936-2008)

HARMS, STAUFFER, POWERS, SORENSEN, GRIENKE, CRILLY, ONSTINE, NELSON, SOBOTKA, PLANTZ, NANCARROW

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 5/12/2008 at 09:26:26

From: Le Mars Daily Sentinel, May 8, 2008

Opal M. Harms, 71, of Punta Gorda, Fla., formerly of Le Mars, died Saturday, May 3, 2008 at her home.

Opal Mae Powers was born Nov. 19, 1936, at Gilmore City, the daughter of Clyde M. and Ethel A. (Stauffer) Powers. She was educated in Pocahontas and graduated with the Class of 1954. During her high school years, Opal worked at the Ideal Café and following graduation worked at the Commercial State Bank in Pocahontas.

Opal was married to Maurice Sorensen in 1955. She lived in surrounding areas for many years and later moved to Le Mars where she worked for Fareway Stores for 23 years. Opal later was united in marriage to Melvin Harms on May 1, 1982.

Opal and Mel retired in December of 1998 and moved to Eagle Point Park in Punta Gorda, Fla.

While living in Florida, Opal served as a director on the board at Eagle Point Park from 2001 to 2003. She was actively involved in many activities of the Park. She and Mel served as chairperson for bingo, shuffleboard, horseshoes, and euchre games at Eagle Point Park.

Opal and Mel were members of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in nearby Port Charlotte, Fla.

In 1998, Opal and Mel were selected to the Hall of Fame at the Iowa State Fair for their many years of horseshoe pitching. She enjoyed playing cards with family and friends. She had the reputation as a "gutsy" card player.

Survivors include her husband, Melvin of Punta Gordo; her children: Kathryn Grienke and her husband Fred of Spirit Lake, Debra Crilly and her husband Ray of Dow City, Constance Onstine and her husband Freddie of Powell, Wyo., Michael Sorensen and his wife Janet of Le Mars and Douglas Sorensen of Denison; three stepchildren, Janet Nelson and her husband Michael of St. Louis, Mo., Joanne Harms of Oklahoma, and Jeffrey Harms and his wife Sonja of Le Mars; 22 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren; three sisters: Doris Sobotka and her husband Joe of Laurens, Monica Plantz and her husband Bill of Pocahontas, and Susan Nancarrow and her husband Steve of Exira; two brothers: Robert Powers and his wife Mona of Exira and Kenneth Powers of Exira; numerous aunts, uncle, cousins; and many friends at Eagle Point Park in Punta Gorda.

Opal was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde M. and Ethel A. (Stauffer) Powers; and three grandchildren.

Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 9, at Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars with the Rev. Gary Landsness of St. John's Lutheran Church of Le Mars officiating. Visitation will be after 3 p.m. on Friday at the Carlsen Funeral Home in Le Mars. Visitation will continue from 9:30 a.m. until service time on Saturday. Interment will be in Resthaven Memory Gardens.