Graden Harger

Graden Harger was born in Denning, Arkansas on June 27, 1926 to Bertha Poole and Graydon Harger. He was raised in Fort Worth, Texas by William Griffin Gilmore, a surrogate father. He and his “daddy” worked at the Fort Worth Tribune, and as a teenager he worked for American Airlines polishing DC-3s at Meacham Field in Fort Worth. He was taught to fly by the same instructor who taught Wiley Post how to fly, and received his pilot’s license in 1943.

In 1944, he joined the Navy, and became a petty officer (quartermaster) on the USS Manila Bay, an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. The Manila Bay saw a tremendous amount of action in 1944-1945, including Okinawa, and at the end of the war she was in Tokyo Bay, with her planes flying relief supplies to American POWs.

After the war Graden married Mildred Billington, and they moved to Alaska where he was a weather observer for the U.S. Weather Bureau. They had a son, William Griffin Harger, in 1950. That marriage did not last, and in 1954 he married Joyce Marie Hawley of Augusta, Kansas. They lived in Brownsville, and in 1955 had a son, Kenneth Galen Harger. In 1958 Graden earned a degree in meteorology at Texas A&M, and continued his career as a meteorologist. In 1960 he and Joyce had a daughter, Donna Marie Harger, while stationed in Daytona Beach, Florida. During his time in the Weather Service, he and his family also lived in Tennessee, Maryland and Hawaii. After being born in a log cabin in the Ozarks, he went on to eventually work in the NASA space program at Wallops Island, Virginia and later was Director of the Pacific Region of the National Weather Service. He retired in 1981 and moved to Houston with Joyce to be with their children.

Graden loved being in the outdoors where he could enjoy whatever God was doing that day with the atmosphere. He was an avid airplane and glider pilot and instructor. He also loved sailboats and sailing. He was an accomplished astronomer, and built an impressive observatory at the family retreat near Round Top. His favorite hobby was photography, and he won a few photo contests with his friends in the photo club.

Graden met Jesus later in his life, but he became active in Sunday School and church. He had a tremendous love for his family, and greatly enjoyed spending time with them. He was an astute observer of national politics and current events, and was a patriot who loved his country. He was always up for a good conversation over a cup of coffee.

Graden was preceded in death by his brother, Benjamin Gordon Paulowsky, and his daughter-in law, Debbie Harger (Ken’s wife). He is survived by his wife, Joyce, son Bill and his wife Michel, son Ken, daughter Donna, granddaughter Jennifer and her husband David Pappenhagen, granddaughter Sarah and her husband Jared Gunter, granddaughter Angela, grandson John William and his wife Hannah, granddaughter Katherine, and 11 great grandchildren.

Memorial services will be at Sugar Land Baptist Church, 16755 Southwest Fwy, Sugar Land, Texas at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 3. Burial with military honors will follow at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery, 12800 Westheimer Rd, Houston, Texas at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Graden’s name to the following ministry, which he strongly supported:

Living Water International

4001 Greenbriar Dr.

Stafford, TX 77477 USA

877-594-4426

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkwestheimer.com for the HARGER family.