Harden, Virgil "Pete" 1923-2002

HARDEN, GOETTSCH, LEE

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/11/2008 at 14:51:12

AURELIA, Iowa -- Virgil "Pete" Harden, 78, of Aurelia died Thursday, Aug. 29, 2002, at Sunset Knoll Retirement Home in Aurelia.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church in Aurelia, with the Rev. Jack Weida officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, with military rites conducted by American Legion Grashoff-McManus Post 390. Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m. Monday, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., at Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia.

Virgil Elwayne "Pete" Harden was born Sept. 15, 1923, the son of George and Alice (Goettsch) Harden, near Aurelia. He graduated from Aurelia High School in 1941. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from Jan. 4, 1944, to Oct. 30, 1945.

On Sept. 26, 1947, he married Dorothy Lee in Le Mars, Iowa. They farmed until retiring in 1991.

He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Aurelia Kiwanis and a 50-year member of American Legion. He enjoyed golfing.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Harden of Aurelia; a daughter and her husband, Sue and Don Kramer of Hudson, Wis.; a son and his wife, Charles and Marilyn Harden of Des Moines; five grandchildren, Allison and her husband, Andy Pattee of Montezuma, Iowa, Brian Kramer and Wendy Harden, both of Minneapolis, Jen Harden of Des Moines, and Sara and her husband, Aaron Turner of Des Moines; a great-grandson, Aiden Charles Turner; five sisters, Berneice and her husband, Wallace Koopman of Phoenix, Ariz., Thelma and her husband, Roy McGee of Columbus, Neb., LaVonne and her husband, Harold Hoops of Galva, Iowa, Gloria Felten of Aurelia, and Norma and her husband, Gilbert Peterson of Phoenix; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Deborah Lynn; and a brother-in-law, Alfred Felten.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal, Aug. 31, 2002--part of the D. Easton Obituary Collection