Richard W. Harms, 88, of Hillsboro, died on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, at his home following a short battle with liver cancer.
Visitation will be held Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Bass Patton Dean Funeral Home in Hillsboro. Funeral services will follow, beginning at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be held in Donnellson Cemetery with full military rites conducted by VFW Post #1306 and American Legion Post #425.
Mr. Harms was born April 1, 1932, in Streator, to Henry A. and Helen (Schroll) Harms. He married Margaret Edwards on June 1, 1958, and she preceded him in 2014.
His family moved to Farmersville when he was a young child, and he attended Studebaker Country School, Farmersville Grade School and high school. His family later moved to Hillsboro in March 1952.
Mr. Harms was drafted into the U.S. Army in December 1952 and served as a sergeant and tank commander with Company A 72nd Tank Battalion during the Korean War.
A father to four and grandfather to four, he was a lifelong livestock and grain farmer. He also worked at Eagle Picher Smelter for several years and served as a school bus driver for the Hillsboro School District for 20 years.
Mr. Harms was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, VFW Post #1306 and the Montgomery County Farm Bureau, all in Hillsboro.
He enjoyed watching St. Louis Cardinals ball games, and recalled skipping school as a teenager in 1946 to listen to games on the radio in a Farmersville tavern. He and his wife enjoyed square dancing and playing pinochle with friends as a young couple. In his later years, he enjoyed watching country music programs including Hee Haw on RFDTV.
Mr. Harms is survived by his four children, Karen Harms of Springfield, David (wife Lori) Harms of Highland, Connie Melton of Auburn and Scott Harms of Lee’s Summit, MO; four grandchildren, Shelby Melton of Sterling, Shannon Melton of Redford, MI, Morgan (fiance Ryan Berger) Harms of Cape Girardeau, MO, and Nicholas Harms of Edwardsville; brother, Henry E. (wife Gerry) Harms of Hillsboro; sister, Ruth (husband Don) of Clarksville, TX; and brother-in-law, Elvis (wife Sharon) of Belvidere.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; a son at birth, Larry; and brother, Daniel.
Memorials may be directed to Paws Care of Montgomery County or Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Hillsboro.
Online condolences to the family may be left at www.basspattondeanfh.com.
