Elmer A. Harr, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend to many, departed this world Jan. 24, 2017, to go to his eternal home with the Lord. He was 93 years young. Elmer was born April 18, 1923, in Cleveland, N.D., the fourth of six children born to Daniel Harr and Emma Hieb Harr. He graduated from Woodworth High School, in Woodworth, N.D. in 1941. He was raised on a farm in a German community during the Great Depression and didn’t learn to speak English until he started school. He attended North Dakota State College for 1 year.
When World War II broke out, his older brothers went into the service so he got a draft deferment to help work the farm. He was finally able to enlist in the Army Air Corps in January 1944 and was beginning his solo flight training when the war ended.
On Jan. 12, 1946, he married Evelyn Mae Bredeson, his high school sweetheart. They were happily married 69 years. He and Evelyn had 5 girls and moved many times following his job. They lived in California, Oregon and Washington before buying their first home in Montesano in 1963.
He was always a hard worker beginning on the farm. Throughout high school he was a custodian after hours and then ran the 5 miles home. After military service, he worked for a funeral home as an apprentice ambulance driver, embalmer, and funeral director. Then after a short stint at Safeway in the produce department, he began working for the Woolworth Department stores as an assistant manager. He went on to manage 5 more stores for them in Oregon and California until 1959 when he had his first bag of Fritos. Elmer bought a Frito-Lay franchise and was responsible for bringing Frito products and then Lay’s Potato Chips to Southwest Washington in the early 1960’s. Eventually this became Harr Distributing.
He was a longtime member of the Montesano Methodist Church and Grays Harbor Foursquare Church where he was known for his friendliness and his evangelism. He also belonged to The Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship for many years. After he retired, his passion was spending time with Evelyn, reading the Bible, sharing the gospel and praying for other people’s needs. He enjoyed tinkering, yardwork – especially “attacking those yellow flowers that were always springing up”- and being a crossing guard for the elementary school. He looked forward to family potlucks and holidays and the chance to go back for extra plates.
Elmer was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn, a daughter Francine James, and four brothers. He is survived by daughters Tianne (Jon) Hyde, Danette (Michael) Johnson, Julie (Clayton) Bradbury and Jill Beaver, son-in-law Bob James, and sister Carole Tower. As well as 18 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
A Memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, at Grays Harbor Foursquare Church, 4800 Central Park Drive, Aberdeen WA, with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, or your local church.
To share memories or express condolences please visit www.harrisonfamilymortuary.com. Harrison Family Mortuary of Aberdeen is honored to assist the family.
