Dick Harger

Dick Harger, 79, died peacefully at home on Sunday, April 17, 2016. He was married for nearly sixty years to his high school sweetheart, Lois Kay Hansen Harger. They raised two children, Linda Holly Harger Dembinski of Millstone, New Jersey, and son Daniel Robert Harger of Lake Mills, Wisconsin. Dick was born in Woodland, Michigan, to the late Walter and Margaret Harger.

Dick graduated from Big Rapids High School on June 2, 1955. He then attended Ferris Institute (later Ferris State University). After graduating in February of 1960 with a degree in Accounting, Dick accepted an auditing position with the Government Accounting Office in Los Angeles, California. After working there for two years, he was hired by the Agency for International Development (AID) where he worked in the Controller’s Office for 24 years. His wife and children accompanied him to postings in Kabul, Afghanistan; Georgetown, Guyana; Washington D.C.; Jakarta, Indonesia; Managua, Nicaragua; Panama City, Panama; and Guatemala City, Guatemala. Dick had the honor of being one of the first USAID Senior Foreign Service Officers.

Dick retired to Bradenton, Florida, in 1984 but continued to travel to Africa, Asia, South and Central America, and the Caribbean as an AID consultant. In 1992, Dick and his wife moved to Lake Lure, N.C. where they lived for seven years. Next they lived in Weaverville, NC, for over four years, and for the past eleven years they have called Asheville, N.C. home.

Dick was an avid golfer for many years, finally quitting the game after making his first “hole-in-one” at age 67. He also enjoyed boating, owning six different kinds of boats over the years. His passion was cars, having many over his lifetime, including his dream car, a 1967 Corvette.

Survivors include his wife Kay Harger; daughter Holly and her husband Dr. Kevin Dembinski; his son Dan Harger and his soul mate Debbie Kutz; Dick’s sister Shirley and her husband Duane Massman of Lake Lure; brother Robert and his wife Fina Harger of Tyngsboro, MA; brother Bruce and his wife Linda Harger of Sault Ste. Marie, MI.; and the delight of Dick’s life, his five grandchildren – Cody and wife Stephanie Harger of The Dells, WI; Kyle Harger of Dallas, TX; Dana Harger of Lake Mills, WI; Robert Dembinski of Millstone, NJ; and Jackie Dembinski of Tampa, FL.

Dick will be greatly missed by all who knew him and had the privilege of working with him and calling him a friend.

Comments are closed.

test