Vaala Funeral Home

Cloud Hospital.  Funeral services were held Friday, October 20th at 10:30 a.m., at Immanuel Lutheran Church – Shible Township.  Pastors Donald Klatt and Kenneth Harste officiated.  Burial followed in the church cemetery.  Loren William Harste was born on March 23, 1934 to Karl F and Hannah (Behrens) Harste in Shible Township, Swift County, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Shible, where he attended parochial school through the 8th grade. In 1952, he graduated from Appleton High School. It was at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Shible Township, that Loren met Donna Mae Lydia Stock, their relationship grew as they participated together in church activities including Walther League and choir. On September 14, 1957, he married Donna at Immanuel Shible. Shortly after their marriage they moved briefly to Fort Knox, Kentucky, where Loren served full-time in the National Guard. In 1958, they returned to his home farm in Shible Township, north of Appleton, where they took over the family farm. Loren grew the farm, raising livestock until the late 1970s, grain farming full-time until the mid 1980s and part-time until the late 1990’s. The farm provided Loren and Donna a great place to raise their four children and eleven grandchildren. Together, they found great joy in sharing their lives, spending time with family & friends and traveling around the country and even other parts of the world. Loren and Donna were blessed with 40 years of marriage until Donna’s death in January 1998. Loren was always known as a progressive farmer with keen interest in conservation of soil and water.  Loren’s interest in soil and water conservation led to roles on the Upper Minnesota River Watershed District Board for more than 45 years. He was appointed to the inaugural Board of Soil and Water Resources for the State of Minnesota, serving from 1987 to 1992. During his years of farming, he served as assessor for several townships, and in 1986, Loren began working full time as the Assistant County Assessor for Swif... (Swift County Monitor)