Gerald Harder, 66, of Dimmitt, passed away on Saturday, July 23, 2011 in Dimmitt. Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday at 10:00AM in the First Baptist Church with Pastor Clint Young officiating. Graveside Services will follow at 1:30PM in Rest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Hereford under the direction of Colonial Funeral Home. Prayer/Vigil Service and Family Visitation will begin at 6:00PM on Tuesday at the funeral home. Gerald was born on August 14, 1944 in Clinton, OK to Earnest and Annie Harder. The Harder family moved to Hereford in 1952 where Gerald graduated from Hereford High School in 1962. He attended West Texas State University in Canyon. He was inducted into the US Army in 1965 where he served as a Medic Clerk Typist. After discharge, Gerald returned to West Texas State University and graduated in 1970 with a degree in animal science. He worked in farming for several years. In 1982 he attended Emco Mud School in Houston. He was employed as a mud engineer and worked off-shore drilling until 2000. Gerald retired from Plains Memorial Hospital in 2008. His hobbies that kept him busy during retirement included many woodworking projects, completing a program on Rain Water Harvesting and working on his Master Gardener certification through Texas Agri-Life. Gerald married Beth Schulte on October 4, 1998 in Dimmitt. He was a member of the First Baptist in Dimmitt where he taught Sunday school. He was also a member of Easter Lions Club. He is survived by his wife Beth Harder of Dimmitt, 6 daughters, Denise Kirby and husband Dennis of Lubbock, Kara Bock and husband Travis of New Braunfels, Nadine Latham and husband Galin of Beaumont, Karon Potter and husband Scott of Edmund, OK, Kaci McDaniel and husband Chance of Midland, and Lori Lehmberg and husband Joe David of New Braunfels, 1 son, Royce Schulte and wife Cindy of Wildorado, 2 brothers, Norm Harder and wife Sherry of Hereford and JD Harder and wife Michelle of Ransom Canyon, 13 grandchildren who loved their "Pa G", Jayden and Kellen Kirby, Jordan and Blake Schulte, Hailey and Braden Bock, Baylor and Bree Latham, Branson and Barrett McDaniel, Karson and Rexton Potter and Kinley Lehmberg, 4 nieces. Memorials may be made to the Gerald Harder Scholarship Fund, PO Box 455, Dimmitt, TX 79027.