In Memoriam: Philip Eugene Harder, 1931-2017 hilip Eugene Harder, who served Portland State as ecumenical minister from 1976 to 1998, died in Portland on February 24 at age 85. Dr. Harder was born December 2, 1931, to Chester and Florence Harder in Missouri Valley, Iowa. In high school he was active in sports and music, and on weekends played trumpet in a big band. After graduation he attended Iowa Teachers College, in Cedar Rapids, for a year, then joined the Navy and became a medic attached to a Marine Corps unit in Korea during the final years of the war. Dr. Harder returned to college at the University of Northern Colorado, where, thanks to the GI Bill, he completed both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education. He taught and coached at Longmont, Colorado, and Klamath Falls before completing a doctorate in theology at Claremont. He was ordained in the United Methodist Church. He resumed his work with young people by becoming a campus minister, first at Willamette University from 1968 to 1971, then at Southern Oregon University from 1971 to 1976 before joining PSU. Dr. Harder’s deep interest in peace and justice led him to visit developing nations, and he drew on those experiences to teach seminars and classes on campus and at church. It was at a meeting on the theme of women and justice that he met his wife, Anita. They were married on December 20, 1975. Their lives were intertwined with work on issues of peace, justice, the earth, the church, and young people. Dr. Harder’s dedication to peace was recognized in 1992 by the Board of Multnomah County Commissioners with the Thousand Cranes Peace Award. The citation commended him as “a model peacemaker in his efforts as a convener, an educator, and a community leader.” After retirement he became pastor of a small local church, Fern Prairie United Methodist Church, in Camas, Washington. He also served as president of the Camas Neighborhood Association; fundraising chair of the campaign to build a skatepark in Camas; chair of the Democratic Forum; and president of the Men’s Golf Club. In addition, Dr. Harder sang in the Village Chorus. Dr. Harder was preceded in death by his parents and younger brother, Babe Harder. He is survived by his wife, Anita, of Camas; two sisters, Mary Ann Glennie, of Escondido, California, and Linda Dooley (Ken), of Missouri Valley, Iowa; brother, Bill Harder, of Missouri Valley; son, John, of Gig Harbor, Washington.; daughter, Kerry (Ray Montoya), of Muscat, Oman; three step-daughters, Tori Mattson, of Vancouver, Washington; Trena Eaton (Donnie), of Washougal, Washington; and Tiffany Whitmire, of Camas; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. A celebration of life service was held on April 2 at St. John’s Presbyterian Church in Camas. A family burial will be held this summer at Skyline Memorial Gardens in Portland. Dr. Harder’s online memorial and guest books may be found at www.skylinememorialgardens.com and www.columbian.com/obits. –Doug Swanson 5 P
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc4NTAz