Rev. Glenn E. Harms Obituary (1930

Rev. Glenn E. Harms, 94, of Lexington, IL passed away at 12:41 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at his home with family. Celebration of Life services will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 2025, at First Baptist Church, Bloomington, IL with Pastor Brian Hastings officiating. Memorials may be made the Fellowship of Christian Farmers International, Lexington or to the First Baptist Church of Bloomington. Calvert-Johnson & Musselman Memorial Home, Lexington is assisting the family with services. Glenn was born April 6, 1930, in Minonk, IL, the son of John H. and Hedwig “Hattie” Kark Harms. He married Elsie M. Russell on February 25, 1951. She passed away on January 16, 2023, after nearly 72 years of marriage. Surviving are six children Linda (Charles) Clark of Weaver, AL, Steven (Janet) Harms of Buchanan, TN, David (Ann) Harms of Bourbonnais, Diane (Rick) Anderson of Clinton, Janet (Richard) Ralston of Littleton, CO, and Philip (Jennifer) Harms of LeRoy; he had twelve grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, five sisters, his grandsons, Virgil and Jonathan Ralston, and his son-in-law, Darel Jimerson. Glenn was a US Airforce Veteran serving from 1951 to 1954 and was a member of the Lexington American Legion Elmo F. Hill Post #291. A devoted servant of God, his life was a testament to the power of faith and love. Glenn was baptized into the First Baptist Church in Minonk, IL, at the age of twenty. After graduating from Northern Baptist Seminary in Chicago in 1959, he served as pastor in Allenville, WI; Erie, IL; and the First Baptist Church of Lexington, where he ministered for 25 years until his retirement in 1994. For the past 30 years, he was a devoted member of the First Baptist Church in Bloomington. Even after retiring from his pastoral duties, Glenn remained deeply committed to serving his community. He volunteered as a driver for the YWCA Retired Senior Volunteer Program in Bloomington-Normal and for the past 40 years, delivered peace meals in Lexington, continuing his service until just a few months ago. Having served as a member of the Air Force Band during his time in the service, it was only natural for Glenn to continue sharing his musical talents by playing Taps to honor many deceased military veterans. In recent years, he took great joy in crafting thousands of 'Wordless Walking Sticks,' which were distributed at farm shows across the nation to support the ministry of the Fellowship of Christian Farmers. Glenn was well-known in Lexington for his dedication to walking. In 1986, he set a goal of walking 25,000 miles and began logging his steps daily. Seventeen years later, at the age of 73, he reached his goal and set a new challenge to repeat the feat. He accomplished this several years later and continued walking nearly every day until recent months. Glenn's love, faith, and generosity touched everyone he met, leaving an enduring legacy of kindness and compassion that continues to inspire.