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Pastor Ken Harger, 86, of Orleans, went to be with his Lord, Thursday afternoon July 15, 2021, surrounded by his family, at home. Ken was born on February 16, 1935, in Seville, Ohio, the son of Charles and Ida (Dreger) Bauer. Ken moved to Michigan in 1937, and was raised in the Stanton, Sheridan, and Belding areas. He attended Stanton High School, having to leave in the 10th grade to help support his family after his stepfather left. He learned at a young age the value of hard work, discipline, and how to manage life. In his earlier years, he had worked at Ionia Manufacturing and then Cream Crest Dairy delivering milk, and also serving as a rural letter carrier. While still a teenager, he felt called by the Lord to enter ministry. To reach that goal, Pastor Ken attended the Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music. In 1959, he came to the little community church in Shiloh. While at Shiloh Community Church, Ken grew the church with his special ministry of giving everyone a Christian funeral, marrying countless couples, and helping numerous people in need of guidance or a friend to listen to. Through his steady leadership, love of people, and wanting to serve God, Shiloh prospered into a large, faith based, community church. Throughout the years, Ken was always with his beloved wife, Bev, who helped with his ministry, grow the church, and serve others. With a tough upbringing, Ken had to learn at an early age how to make meals from scratch, over the years he grew into an excellent cook and delighted in hosting dinners, especially for family and for the older members of his faith community at his beloved lighthouse which he built on Long Lake. His specialties were rolls and elephant ears. He enjoyed spending time at his cabin near Kalkaska, deer hunting, and especially teaching his grandchildren how to hunt. For the past 25 years, he and Bev spent the month of February in Destin, Florida, a time they always enjoyed. Later in life, Ken was active in his funeral ministry, performing weddings and his Sunday morning radio program. Ken also collected penguins and had an extensive collection that he enjoyed. As pastor of the church, he truly enjoyed all the father and son trips, meeting the spiritual needs of Shiloh and watching the church grow and prosper. He was blessed with a love and understanding of people and used those blessings to serve his Lord to the very end of his life. He will be truly missed and lovingly remembered by the entire community.
Pastor Ken is loved and survived by his wife, Bev and their children; Kendall (Juli) Harger of Spring Green, Wisconsin, Angie (Mike) Jacobson of Boise, Idaho, Valerie Bauer and the father of her children; David Dawdy, son in law; Blaine Kemme of Orleans, his grandchildren; Lucas (Trina) Harger, Christian (Nicola) Harger, Alexander Harger, David (Brie) Jacobson, Benjamin (Hannah) Jacobson, Caleb (Rynn) Jacobson, Isaac (Mindy) Jacobson, Samuel (Dianna) Jacobson, Hannah (Jonathan) Murrell, Robert (Elizabeth) Kemme, Aileen Kemme, Christine Kemme, Ashley (Brendan) Powers, Jack (Abi) Hillrich-Dawdy, Will Dawdy, Henry Dawdy, Liza Dawdy, his great grandchildren; Aiden, Ellie, Ava, Ruth, Martha, Levi, Abby, Eliza, Mason, Owen, Letty, his siblings; Nancy, Marti, Juanita, Shirley, Carol, Larry, along with many nieces, nephews, church family, and countless friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather; Art Harger, two daughters; Dawn and Karlene, his siblings; Junior, Eddie, Chuck, and Delores.
Visitation will be Sunday July 18th,2021 from 2-4 & 6-8pm and on Monday from 2-4 & 6-8pm, at Shiloh Community Church. The funeral will be 11am Tuesday, also at church. Private committal prayers for the family will take place at Orleans Township Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in memory of Pastor Ken may be given to Shiloh Community Church, marked for the new children’s wing, envelopes will be available at church and Johnson Feuerstein Funeral Home, Belding, where funeral care has been entrusted.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Pastor Ken Harger, please visit our floral store.