Joe Dean Harder

Joe Dean Harder passed away on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, after a 13-year battle with chronic emphysema and C.O.P.D. He died with his loving family by his side and with his eyes on his Lord and Savior.

Joe was born on December 14, 1955, the son of William F. and Catherine L. (Bruns) Harder, in Onaga, Kansas.

He attended Onaga schools all his life and graduated with the Onaga class of 1974. During his grade school years, he was a member of Onaga Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and the Onaga Congregational Church. It was at the 8th grade graduation dance that he became infatuated with his future wife, Karen. During high school, Joe worked for Les Millick Electric, learning the electrical trade, before briefly working for Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline.

Joe married Karen Teske on April 26, 1975. The couple made their home in rural Wheaton, where they raised their three daughters and shared 51 years of marriage. He worked for Teske Brothers, a farming, cattle, dairy, and hog operation owned by Karen’s father and uncle. Following, Joe attended Kaw Area Vocational Technical School in Topeka to continue his education in electrical, appliance, and heating and air conditioning. He was subsequently employed for a short while in Topeka and then later in Holton, working for Petree Propane. Joe then worked for Kufahl Hardware and Kufahl Funeral Home in Wheaton for three years, until he resigned to run his own electrical business, Harder Electric, and work part-time at The Onaga Herald, a weekly newspaper owned and operated by his parents.

In 1985, Joe stepped in full-time to help his parents transform the newspaper business into the new digital age. He also ran part of the commercial printing department. After Bill passed, Joe and Karen purchased The Onaga Herald from Joe’s mom. Joe and Karen continued to own and operate the weekly newspaper until their retirement in October 2025. As part of his role as the owner, publisher, and editor, Joe enjoyed attending school, academic, and sporting events and activities, publishing thousands of photos and articles throughout the years. Joe and family printed school calendars for Onaga and surrounding schools for decades.

Joe’s wife and daughters remember his constant presence and loyal support in all their endeavors and activities. Outside of work, he enjoyed spending time with his family, whether that was cutting wood as a family, coaching his three daughters’ softball teams, watching his kids’ and then grandkids’ sports and other activities, helping kids and grandkids with 4-H photography, fishing by himself or with his family, camping and boating with Karen and the family, shooting guns and trapshooting with his girls and grandson, Monty, whom he enjoyed taking to weekly 4-H shooting sports. A particularly loved hobby of his younger years was rattlesnake hunting in Oklahoma and western Kansas with a group of friends and middle daughter, Erin.

Joe served as an unofficial hub of the community; a keeper of the kind of community knowledge that isn't written down anywhere. He knew the people, the history, and the details that mattered, and others knew they could turn to him when they needed an answer, a connection, or simply to be pointed in the right direction. If he didn't know the answer, he usually knew someone who did (or could certainly make something up).

Joe was a former member of the Wheaton Fire Department, Onaga Jaycees, Kansas JCI Senate, Kansas Press Association, St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Mayetta Masonic Lodge No. 393, and Past Master of the Onaga Masonic Lodge No. 188.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents and a daughter, Erin LeAnn (Harder) Baum. Survivors include his wife, Karen, and two daughters, Tracy Meyerkorth (Lincoln), Blaine, and Bailey Jo Starns (Taylor), Wheaton; 8 grandchildren, Makayla Baum, Monty Joe Meyerkorth, Chloe Baum, Austyn Baum, Rayna Meyerkorth, Ellie Jo Starns, Zoey Starns, and Rory Starns; siblings Bill Harder, Emporia, and Jan (Harder) Comer, Shawnee, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A visitation will be held at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wheaton on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, from 5 to 7 pm, with a prayer service at 6 pm. Funeral services will also be held at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wheaton on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 10:30 am, with burial to follow at the St. Luke Lutheran North Cemetery. A Masonic Rites service will be held immediately following the committal service at the cemetery.

Memorial Donations are suggested and should be made payable to the Shriners Children's Hospital or The Lutheran Hour and may be sent in care of Campanella and Stewart Funeral Home, P.O. Box 48, Wamego, Kansas 66547.