Edwin Harmsen

Edwin “Ed” Harmsen, 89, of Waupun, died unexpectedly on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at his home.

Edwin was born February 21, 1927 at his parents home in the Township of Springvale in Fond du Lac County, the son of Edward and Anna (Wallendal) Harmsen. He attended West Brick School through eighth grade. He worked as a hired man on a farm for 2 years until 18 years old when he was drafted into the Army in 1945, serving in the 508 Military Police Battalion stationed in Germany. On March 26, 1953 he married Elaine Wegner at Pella Lutheran Church in Waupun. They lived in Waupun all their married lives. Elaine preceded him in death on March 23, 2009. After discharge from the service in 1947, Edwin lived in Waupun and hauled milk for Alto Cooperative until 1973. He began with canned milk hauling until 1958 and hauled bulk milk until 1973. During this time he also co-owned the city cab for 9 months in 1949 and was a Hamms beer distributor until 1958. In 1973 Edwin became a school bus driver and dispatcher for Edmunds Bus Service until June 1991. During this time, he also donated his time to bussing the Waupun Legion Baseball Team for 3 years, including to 3 State Tournaments. After retiring from the bus service, he helped farmers with baling and tilling and other farm work. Edwin was a volunteer at Bethesda Store and Warehouse in Horicon in the electrical department, also working at the Bethesda Country Fair for many years. Edwin was a member of Pella Lutheran Church from 1955 until the present. At various times he held offices of vice-president, elder and trustee, was on the stewardship committee, finance committee, was an usher and jack-of-all-trades at church. He represented Pella as a board member of the Waupun Christian Home for 1 term. Edwin liked the Packers, Brewers and Bucks and attended all of the Packers home games for 40 years. He sponsored and participated on bowling teams in Waupun and Brownsville for many years.

Edwin is survived by three children: Linda (Donald) Zastrow of Horicon, Barbara Raether of Marshall, and Steven (Diane) Harmsen of King George, Virginia; six grandchildren: Jennifer (Mark) Franz, Jr., Michael (Bonnie) Zastrow, Rebecca (Andrew) Belt and Ashley Zastrow, Heather (Daniel) Kaltenberg Wright and Ryan (Mandy) Raether; twelve great-grandchildren: Mark III and Jordon Franz, Lauren, Abigail, Dominick and Abraham Zastrow, Donovan and Gabriel Belt, Juway and Malcolm Damm, William Kaltenberg, and Sawyer Wright; nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Edwin was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; his brother and sister-in-law, Arthur (Thelma) Harmsen, four sisters and brothers-in-law, Henrietta (Garrit) Vande Berg, Agnes (Floyd) Henning, Jeanette (Ward) Tetzlaff, and Anna (Peter) Buteyn, and a son-in-law, Donald Raether.


Friends and relatives may call on the family on Tuesday at Werner-Harmsen Funeral Home in Waupun from 4-7 p.m. and on Wednesday at church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service.


Funeral services for Edwin will be held Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at Pella Lutheran Church in Waupun with Rev. David Knuth officiating.


Burial will follow at Forest Mound Cemetery in Waupun.


The family requests memorials be directed to Pella Lutheran Church in Waupun.



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