Virginia Harms

Funeral Services for Virginia R. Harms will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Kyle Bendorf and Chaplain DeWane Dow officiating. Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege.

Virginia Rose (Murphy) Harms, 92 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at the Phelps Memorial Health Center at Holdrege. Virginia was born July 16, 1925, on the family farm northeast of Alma, Nebraska, in Harlan County, the oldest of seven children of Clarence and Ethel (Maret) Murphy. She grew up near Huntley, Nebraska and received her education from Huntley and Ragan Public Schools. Following her education, she taught at a rural school near Holdrege for 3 years.

On November 29, 1944 she was united in marriage to Alvin "Tony" Harms and to this union two sons and one daughter was born: Virgil, Betsy and Richard. The couple made their home north of Ragan, Nebraska, where Virginia focused her efforts on raising the children and helping Tony on the farm and with the livestock. In 2010, Virginia and Tony began to make their home at Christian Homes, when their health began to fail. Tony preceded her in death on April 14, 2012.

Virginia was a very talented quilter and was known by many as "the quilt lady." She also enjoyed reading, but most of all, she loved the time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Virginia accepted Christ at a young age and was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. She was a devoted member of the Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege where she taught Sunday school, served on the church council and was a member of the ELCW and Bethel Lutheran Church Group.

Besides her parents and husband, Tony, she was preceded in death by; granddaughter, Susan Ruff; brother, Richard Murphy; brothers-in-law: Albert, William, Raymond and Emil Harms, Robert "Bob" Johnson, LeRoy Sundquist, Dean Johnson and Norm Burman; and sisters-in-law: Dorothy Woollen and her husband, William and Mary Jo Harms.

She leaves to celebrate her life; two sons: Virgil Harms and his wife, Pat of Blue Springs, Nebraska and Rick Harms and his wife, Lynne of Omaha, Nebraska; one daughter, Betsy Bendorf and her husband, Ken of Holdrege; five grandchildren: Cindi Dubas and her husband, Mike of York, Nebraska, Crystal Oberg and her husband, Tom of Farnam, Nebraska, Kyle Bendorf and his wife, Sherry of Fairbury, Nebraska, Beth Wagner and her husband, Paul of Papillion, Nebraska and Kirk Harms and his wife, Megan of Kearney, Nebraska; twelve great-grandchildren; three sisters: Jeanne Johnson and Veneta Johnson, both of Holdrege, and Marcia Burman of Sumner, Nebraska; two brothers: Don Murphy and his wife, Kathleen of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Merle Murphy and his wife, Janet of Beatrice, Nebraska; sisters-in-law, Dora Mae Sundquist, Louise Harms and Evelyn Harms, all of Holdrege and Gracia Harms of Waverly, Iowa and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 11, 2017 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Virginia's honor and kindly designated to Bethel Lutheran Church or Christian Homes Care Community.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.