LeRoy G. Harder, 90, of Grand Island, Nebraska passed away Friday, January 3, 2025 at Crane Gardens Memory Care in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home in Grand Island is entrusted with the arrangements.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, January 30, 2025 at First St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Hastings, Nebraska with Pastor Joel Remmers officiating the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are kindly suggested to the family to be designated at a later date.

A prayer service and a time to visit with the family will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, January 31, 2025 at Riverside Lodge Retirement Community in Grand Island.

LeRoy, the first of five children, was born January 23, 1934 in Merriman, Nebraska to Frank & Irene (Dahlgren) Harder. He grew up in many towns in Nebraska as his dad worked as a rancher and in construction.

LeRoy graduated from Hastings High School in 1952. After graduation, he worked at the Hastings Navy Ammunition Depot and Hastings Airport.

In September 1952, he started Telegrapher School in Pueblo, Colorado. In June 1953, he was hired as a Telegrapher/Depot Agent with the Union Pacific Railroad.

On May 28, 1954, LeRoy was united into marriage to the love of his life, Carolyn Marie Enninga and they were married for over 70 years. To this union, two children were born, Dennis and Yolanda.

They lived all over Kansas while LeRoy worked at many of the depots of the Union Pacific Railroad. In March 1961, he moved his family to Doniphan, where he worked as the Depot Agent until 1972. He then got "bumped" to work along the Union Pacific line from the Kansas/Nebraska border to North Platte and Omaha. They also worked for a year or two in

St. Louis. In 1993, after working 40 years, LeRoy retired from the Union Pacific Railroad.

During this time, he helped with the Boy Scouts Troop 251. He was a WSI Instructor and taught many people how to swim and scuba dive. He was also a member of the Doniphan Volunteer Fire Department. After he retired from the fire department he served as the Fire Chief. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and very proud of his Lund boat. After retirement, he purchased a shop smith and made many wooden toys for family and friends. He also loved to refinish furniture.

LeRoy is survived by his loving wife, Carolyn; one son, Dennis Harder; one daughter and son-in-law, Yolanda & Leo Rayburn all of Grand Island; five grandchildren, Jason and Travis Harder, Tim and Tiffany Gregory, and Eric Rayburn; five great-grandchildren, Paxton and Brooklyn Harder, Cohen, Blake and Sullivan Gregory; one brother & sister-in-law, Larry & Pat Harder of Lincoln; two sisters, Mary Jo Porter of Tampa, FL and Jean Johnson of Parker, AZ; one sister-in-law, Pat Harder of Cornville, AZ.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brother Donald, and his daughter-in-law, Cheryl Harder.

Condolences to the famiy may be signed at www.livson.com