"There is peace

In the final curtain

That blows gently

In the breeze of history.

I remember parts of our childhood

Or maybe they were dreams

...of what? I couldn't say

I know we used to play."

- Excerpt of poem by CB Harder

Silas David Harder passed away suddenly in the early hours of January 1, 2023. He was the fourth of thirteen children born to William F. and Margaret (Wiebe) Harder. Born in Tisdale, SK on May 16, 1949, he moved with the family to Saskatoon, then briefly to Burns Lake, BC, before returning to Saskatoon, where they lived until 1966 when they moved to Calgary, AB.

As a young boy, Silas sang in the Saskatoon Boys Choir. Later, he joined the choir at First Assembly Church and sang in the Singing Christmas Tree.

He was an avid Saskatchewan Roughriders fan and had no trouble walking into a sea of red wearing the green and white.

He was involved in the Social Club at Murdock Manor, where he and Kathy lived for several years. He set up and called bingo games, planned weekly game nights, and collected supplies for lunches and dinners. His specialty Denver omelets were a favorite served at Saturday breakfasts for the residents of the Manor.

Silas was a member of the Kinsmen Club for 18 years. He was a hands-on volunteer, always there to lend a hand in Kinsmen initiatives including community programs and Stampede lotteries.

Predeceased by his parents William and Margaret; sister Priscilla; brothers Paul and James; and nieces Amber and Alison. Silas is survived by his wife, Kathy Harder, nee Smythe; his son Karl King; stepson Michael King; siblings Ken (Irma), Bernice, Brenda Verwey, Jacqueline, Charles (Lynn), CB Cecil (Cheryl), widow of James (Dawn Marie MacDonald), Julie (Jim) Malakos, Carol (Willie) Heflin and Bradley, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Tributes

"Silas was tough as nails, yet he was quiet and gentle, and he kept to himself. Between 1969 and 1974, he was a professional wrestler (the Masked Marauder) and he didn't tell anyone in his family. We only found out last year when he was inducted into the Stampede Wrestling Hall of fame. He was a very loyal friend and brother, and a great husband to his wife Kathy." Bradley Harder

"He was a kind and gentle man, and a great friend..." Charlie Harder

"How to Live Like a King's Kid by Herald Hill was his favorite book when he attended First Assembly. He lived by those principles." Bernice Harder

"He seldom spoke of his faith, but it was there. He had a servant's heart. He was a very private person who would give wherever he saw a need." Brenda Verwey

"Paul and Silas were my greatest fans. Every time they saw me, they literally stopped what they were doing and came over to see me, hug me, and retell a story about me that may or may not have actually happened, but they made me feel so important to them! And growing up always wanting a dad, which stuck with me all my life. Even when they looked like bikers when I would see either of them, a little spark of joy from some childhood fortified trust made me feel happy and loved." Candice Baird.

"The last two years on ZOOM was when I grew to appreciate Uncle Silas most. I saw his tenderness and kindness. I also loved his quiet sense of humor and his simplicity. He just was who he was. It wasn't complicated." Carleas Fleck

"Just like Paul and Silas in the Bible, Silas was always in the background. He was often missed and easily overlooked, but he was the steady reliable friend everybody wants and needs. He lived out his faith in service to others and was the hands and feet of Jesus to those he met. You could always count on him to do what he said he would do!" Ken Harder

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Kinsmen Club of Calgary Foundation , specifically for High School Scholarships to students who have shown community spirit through volunteering.

The Final Curtain (Here on Earth) for Silas

"We were brothers

And we were strangers

You and I.

Dodging rocks and running

Under a purple sky.

This earthly life is damaging.

We oxidize

And leave ourselves everywhere

And otherwise.

Life is that temporal thing

An autumnal fling.

One day you're landed

The next you're on a string;

And it's not unbreakable

And it's really nothing

And then you're off to school.

That book has blown away

In the wind and the rain

And left its final chapter

On a stone in the lane.

There is peace

In the final curtain

That blows gently

In the breeze of history.

I remember parts of our childhood

Or maybe they were dreams

...of what? I couldn't say

I know we used to play."

- C. B. Harder January 1, 2023