Our mother, Maria Harder, passed away peacefully, Monday, March 12, 2001 at Bethesda Personal Care Home in Steinbach, MB at the age of 92 years. She will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by her children, Jessie (Abe) Doerksen of Steinbach, Ed Harder of Landmark, and Bill Harder of Lethbridge, AB; three grandchildren Linda (Dieter) Kupferschmid of Burnaby, BC, Erna (John) Penner of Winnipeg, Irene (Ralph) Egger of Lethbridge, AB; seven great grandchildren Steven and Kevin Kupferschmid, Jeffrey, Blake, Joshua and Jordan Penner and Jessica Egger; three sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law. Mother was predeceased by her husband John D. Harder October 22, 1948, her parents Cornelius and Maria Krause, one brother and two sisters, sister Tina recently in November 2000. Mother was born March 9, 1909 on the family farm in the Silberfeld, MB area close to Landmark. She married our father John D. Harder, November 6, 1927 and farmed in the Silberfeld area until his passing. They were married 20 years, 11 months. She stayed on the farm for a while but it was lonely so eventually she moved to Steinbach where she spent her years sewing together blanket tops for MCC or knitting socks, mitts and scarves for Union Gospel Mission. Mother enjoyed sitting with her friends at Fernwood Place and keeping her hands busy with knitting; her hands were not often idle, but now they are at rest. In 1998 it became necessary for her to have more care so she was placed in Bethesda Personal Care Home. The funeral service for Maria Harder was held Thursday, March 15, 2001 at 2:00 p.m. at the Chortitzer Mennonite Church with interment at Heritage Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mennonite Central Committee in memory of our mother. We, the family, want to thank Pastor John and Nettie Wiebe for visiting her so faithfully and singing for her, and all the friends and relatives who came to see her. A special thank you to Dr. Thiessen and all the staff at Bethesda Personal Care Home who took such loving and gentle care of our mother. God bless you all.