Rev. Raymond L. Harms

Rev. Raymond L. Harms, age 87, of Reedsburg, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 3, 2020 at the Sauk County Health Care Center. He was born to Henry A. Harms and Amanda nee Peters in their home in Westfield Township, rural, Reedsburg, WI on May 27, 1933. His parents brought him in holy baptism to the Lord that he might be born of Jesus by water and the Spirit and his name was written in the book of life with the blood of the Lamb. Raymond later confirmed his faith in the year of our Lord 1947, both at St. John Lutheran Church, Loganville. After finishing Reedsburg High School in 1951, he farmed with his father until 1953 when he entered Concordia Theological Seminary at Springfield, IL (now at Fort Wayne, IN).

While a student he married Ione Rose Meyer on June 8, 1957 at St. Peter’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Reedsburg. Their marriage was blest with four daughters. Pastor Ray vicared at Calvary Ev. Lutheran Church in Heron, SD, under the supervision of Dr. Philip Mueller, president of the South Dakota District of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. During the years of 1957 – 1959 he studied in the chaplaincy program of Concordia Theological Seminary in 1959. He furthered his studies for the Hospice chaplaincy at Carle Hospital in Urbana, IL., while a pastor at Our Savior Ev. Lutheran Church of Milford, IL.

He served in parishes in Wadena, Margo and Nut Mountain, Saskatchewan, Canada; Wautoma, Wild Rose and Deerfield, WI; Rock Lake and Egeland, ND; Medford, Waseca and Courtland, MN; and Milford, IL ministry before retirement in 1997. During his parish ministry he went to the Philippine Lutheran Church where he spent a short summer of observing the Philippine Lutheran Medical Mission work at Abatan Lutheran Hospital, North Luzon. While in Milford, IL, he trained for one summer under the auspices of Carle Hospital in Urbanna, IL for service in hospice as a chaplain and upon retirement in 1997 he was a chaplain (spiritual counselor) in the Home Health United Hospice Service in the Madison, WI surrounding area. In 2004 he retired and went to gardening at their home outside of Loganville, WI, and then moved to Reedsburg, WI in 2009.

Pastor Ray is survived by his wife Ione of 63 years; his daughters: Rebecca Lynn (Lyle) Gahler of North Mankato, MN, Barbara Ann (Rev. John) Suguitan of Cincinatti, OH, Michelle Kay (Rev. Paul) Crolius of Reedsburg, WI, and Carolyn Sue (Mitch) Truebenbach of Aberdeen, SD;  grandchildren: Jacob Bluhm (Jess Schroeder), Katie Rae (Keith) Krause, Chet (Stacy) Gahler, Mitch (Heather) Gahler, Salena (Masion) Nesset, Sawyer Gahler, Sedric Gahler, Matthew (Katie) Suguitan, Alicia (Justin) Morrow, Joshua Suguitan, Nathan, Brandon and Colin Crolius,  Amanda (Ross) Taylor, Blair (Brett) Andrews, Cole Truebenbach and Demi Truebenbach; great-grandchildren Ethan, Jorja and Graci Bluhm; Jaden, Layla and Luke Krause;  Audrey and Amy Suguitan; Vincent Morrow, Baylin and Kayson Taylor, and Ridge and Tripp Andrews; and step great-grandchildren Mason, Maya, Gauge and Jace Gahler; sister-in-law Irene Harms;  nephews, nieces, great nephews and nieces, cousins, many friends and co-workers.

Pastor Ray was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson, Vincent Suguitan; brothers Reinhardt,  Henry, Edward and Armand Harms; and sisters Caroline Robson and Ruth Tietje; sisters-in-law Ellen Harms, Donna Harms and Lucille Harms; brother-in-law Walt Tietje.

Private family services will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2020 at St. John Ev. Lutheran Church in Loganville with Pastor Tim Anderson officiating. Burial will be made in St. John Cemetery, Loganville. Visitation will be on Saturday, December 5, 2020 from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. at the Farber Funeral Home in Reedsburg.

In lieu of flowers, memorials of remembrance may be made to the Lutheran Hour, Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, Concordia Seminary - St. Louis, or St. Peter's video broadcast.

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