MALTA-Walter
W. Harms, 74, Retired Montana National Guard, construction worker and
bee keeper, died Tuesday, Sept. 8 at the
Phillips
County
Hospital
of natural causes.
Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Kirkwood
Memorial Chapel in
Malta
. Interment with military honors will be in the
Malta
Cemetery
. Condolences for the family may be left at www.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com.
Memorial may be sent the Malta Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited for Take
a Kid Fishing
P.O. Box
1287
,
Malta
, MT, 59538. Kirkwood Funeral Home of Malta is in charge of
arrangements.
Survivors include his wife Dorothy of Malta, sons, Walter (Brigitte)
Harms Jr. of Terry, Willie (Kay) Harms, Ray (Ann) Harms both of Malta,
Fred (Karen) Harms of Hysham; daughters, Twilla (Paul) Johannesen of
Loring, Janni (John) Wiese, Debbie (Marlin) Cilz both of Malta, Brenda
(Rick) Barrera of Pocatello, Idaho, Anita (Mike) Scheffelmear of
Lewistown; 35 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, brother, Karl (Jan)
Harms, sister, Anneliesse (Max) Moore, sister-in law, Wilma (Gary)
Plouffe, all of Malta. He was preceded in death by his parents, children
Adayla Harms and “Pete” Blake.
Walter was born, June 14, 1935 in
Stockse
,
Germany
, the son of Karl and Sophie M. (Barm) Harms. He was raised and educated
in
Germany
and moved with his parents to Live Oak,
California
in 1953. He worked as a bee-keeper for the Walker Honey Company. Walter
moved to
Montana
in 1954 working construction in
Great Falls
. He managed the Bancroft Honey business until 1959 when he and his
brother Karl started Meadow Valley Honey Company until 1976. He married
Josie Taylor in 1957; they had four children and later divorced. He
married Candee Coleman in 1970; they had three children and later
divorced. Walter married Dorothy Blake in 1978. Walter joined the
Montana National Guard in 1955. 
He
had a number of Military Occupational Specialties and became the Post
Engineer at
Fort
Harrison
in 1994. He retired from the Nation Guard in 1995; but he remained the
Post Engineer as a civilian employee until 1997. Walter work a number of
construction jobs over the years, including concrete work, carpentry and
many other skills in the building trades. Walter and Dorothy moved to
Malta
in 1998 where he worked with his brother at Jan’s Greenhouse and did
carpentry work until his final retirement in 2008. Walter enjoyed
fishing and teaching his children and grandchildren how to fish. He
enjoyed all actives where he could be outdoors.
