Terrence 'Terry' Wayne Harder

Terrence ‘Terry’ Wayne Harder, 55, of Munich, ND passed away on Sunday, September 28, 2025 at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND after a long struggle with congestive heart failure (caused by treatment for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma when he was 7) and a short battle with lung cancer.

Visitation will be at the Dunnigan-Dix Funeral Home, Cando, ND on Thursday October 2, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 pm. with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. The funeral service will be at Zion Lutheran Church, Munich on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Scott Ramey officiating.  Burial will be at the Zion Lutheran Cemetery, rural Munich. 

Memorials are preferred to Zion Lutheran Church.

Terrence “Terry” Wayne Harder was born on March 31, 1970 in Devils Lake, ND to Harold & Barbara (Scharf) Harder. The youngest of 4 children, he grew up on the family farm NW of Munich, ND.

From the time he was little, Terry loved the farm. He always knew he wanted to grow up to be a farmer, eventually farming with his dad and brother Tom, harvesting his first crop in 1988. He continued to farm, although the past few years were in a very limited capacity, until his passing.

Terry attended Munich Public School through his graduation in 1988. In high school he made both a gun cabinet and a large roll-top desk, both of solid oak. Because he enjoyed woodworking so much, he decided to take up carpentry at Lake Region Community College in Devils Lake. However, the program was cancelled after he completed four out of the eight quarters needed to complete the course.

Terry was baptized, attended Sunday School, and was confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Munich. He had a deep, quiet faith and loved his church. As an adult he served as a trustee and also treasurer for the congregation, even mowing the cemetery for a few years.

In 1991 he met Gail Knutt from Rocklake, ND when they were set up as prom dates. He met her, his future wife, when he was still 20 and she was still 15. They were married July 9, 1994 at All Nations Lutheran Church in Rocklake. After this they made their home on the former Michels SW of Munich. Together they have two wonderful daughters - Casey June and Coty Mae.

Because things were a little lean the first several years he farmed, Terry took on several “side-hustles” to make ends meet. Some of these enterprises included building utility sheds for Robertson’s Lumberyard, framing houses, loading cars at the Munich Elevator, working on fuel furnaces around Munich, working at Aafedt’s Meat Market, and trapping and skinning muskrats.

Terry loved hunting and fishing. Over the years he hunted deer, ducks, geese, pheasants, gophers, jack rabbits, prairie dogs, and wild hogs. One highlight of his hunting career was in 2020 when he took a mule deer just a few miles south of the farm.

In later years, Terry became quite active in many local organizations. He proudly joined the Munich Fire Department, was elected to the Munich school board and served 12 years, became treasurer for Zion Lutheran Church, was on the Trier township board and also occasionally on the Clyde Farm Service board. He joined the Wednesday night men’s bowling league at the Munich Cafe & Bowl, which he enjoyed for many years.

Terry is survived by his wife of 31 years, Gail; daughters Casey (Luke) Weston of Rolla, ND and Coty (Michael) Kraft of Grand Forks, ND; two beautiful granddaughters Ellen and Elizabeth Weston (and another grandchild on the way); mother Barbara Harder of Munich; sister Tammie Harder of Grand Forks; brother Tom (Susan) Harder of Munich; sister Tracy (Larry) Bittner of Chesapeake, VA; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Marty & Curtis Larson of New Rockford, ND; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and -nephews, aunts and uncles.

He was preceded in death by his dear father Harold Harder, in-laws Wallis & Helen Knutt, and many aunts and uncles