Martha Marie Harder (91) of Effingham, formerly of Shumway

Martha Marie Harder, 91, of Effingham, formerly of Shumway, IL, passed away Saturday, December 14, 2019 at Lakeland Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Effingham.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 20 at Shumway United Methodist Church in Shumway with burial in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. Friday prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are in the care of Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham.

Memorials may be made to the Shumway Cemetery Fund. Online condolences may be shared by clicking here. 

Martha was born on September 20, 1928, in rural Shumway, IL, the daughter of John and Myrtle (Terwilliger) Fulte. She married Wayne R. Harder on March 25, 1948 in Beecher City, IL and enjoyed 65 years of marriage before his death in 2013.

Martha was a devoted Christian and a member of the Shumway United Methodist Church. She was employed as Activity Director in several area nursing homes and as a cafeteria worker at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital where she retired. Martha spent many years as a news correspondent for the Effingham Daily News and the Beecher City Journal.

Martha is survived by her daughter, Cathy (Rev. Jim) Peak of Dix, IL; son, Steve (Sharon) Harder of Shumway, IL, daughter-in-law, Mary (Paul) Slifer of Shumway, IL; son-in-law, James Anyango of Glen Allen, VA; 9 grandchildren, Stacia (Darren) Braun, Matthew (Trishia) Harder, and Daniel Harder all of Shumway, IL, Laura Harder of Cottontown, TN, Benjamin (Elizabeth) Harder of Speer, IL, Ian Peak of Mt. Vernon, IL, Elizabeth Peak of Elizabethtown, KY, Michael (Siedah) Anyango of Henrico ,VA, Erica Anyango of Washington D.C.; 10 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Donald; daughter, Judy; and sister, Mabel Kyle.