Harlan Ernest Werner

He was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

St. Peter’s included an Elementary School which Harlan attended from grade 1 through grade 8. His parents both worked, so he spent summers on the farm with his grandparents and learned a lot about farming, horses and other farm animals, farm machinery and the like.

In 1937, his parents moved to Middletown, CA. Harlan attended the 10th grade there, while also learning about the forest and helping his Dad with logging trees, stripping them, and sending them down the mountainside to the water and so forth. He loved the outdoors.

Because there was no Lutheran church in Middletown, the family drove 46 miles each way down a winding road to Napa every Sunday, where they attended St. John’s Lutheran Church. After doing this for a year, Harlan’s Dad found work in Napa in 1938, and they moved. Harlan got a paper route delivering the Napa Register on his bicycle. He finished high school in Napa in 1940.

After graduation, he began working for the Sawyer Tanning Co. where he learned the procedures for tanning hides. After some experience, he was placed in charge of the department.

Harlan was drafted into the Army Air Corp. in 1943 and attended several schools where he was trained to be an Engine Specialist and later worked on B-17 and B-29s. His Unit was ready to ship out to the Pacific when the Peace Treaty was signed, and his shipping orders were cancelled. He received an Honorable Discharge in 1946.

He married Dorothy Von Fange June 22, 1946, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Deshler, NE. They made their home in Napa, CA, where he continued to work for the Sawyer Tanning Co. Harlan wasn’t happy with that job, so after he passed the required tests, he entered the California Highway Patrol Academy in Sacramento, CA on April 23, 1951. After graduation, he was assigned to work in San Luis Obispo, CA as a Traffic Officer. In 1955, he became the Commercial Traffic Specialist for that area, and in 1963 he received an Outstanding Service Award for his performance. He remained in that position until his retirement from the force on December 30, 1977.

In July 1978, Harlan was offered a job as Shop Supervisor and Truck Safety Inspector for the J.H. Rose Trucking Company in Hayward, CA. In January 1979, he accepted a job as Chauffeur for the Board Chairman of Crocker National Bank in San Francisco. He commuted from San Luis Obispo to San Francisco, being gone during the week and home on weekends, until Janet graduated high school in June 1979 and the family moved to Fremont, CA. In 1982, he was promoted to Supervisor of Security at the Bank Card Center in Walnut Creek, CA when Wells Fargo National Bank bought out Crocker National Bank. He remained there until his second retirement at age 65. He never applied for these jobs. He just accepted offers.

He was an active member of the LCMS wherever he lived, from Parochial School to Walther League, to a participating Voting Member at age 18. In the combined three locations where he lived, he sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, and served in many of the various offices such as Board of Directors, Financial Secretary, President, Vice President, Sunday School Superintendent, Board of Elders and Head Usher, as well as a CNH District LLL Board member, and a member of the LLL Rourke Scholarship Committee.

He liked fishing and hunting since he was a boy on the farm, but his favorite leisure activities centered around sports. He played basketball in high school, and in the military, and then pitched fast pitch softball on various city league teams from 1946 to 1994 where he was known for a “wicked curve ball”. He was routinely recruited by teams far younger than he was because of his pitching skills. In later years, they would offer to use a wheelbarrow to get him to move faster around the bases, but used a pinch runner instead. He pitched his last game at the age of 72 and cinched the League Championship.

He grew a large garden for many years which provided vegetables for eating year-round, with the canning and freezing the family did. He also enjoyed growing beautiful orchids on his patio, and a large variety of iris in his yard. Clamming at Pismo Beach each year at low tides provided for homemade chowder through the year.

He loved to share his hunting and fishing stories at family get togethers. He was known for his positive attitude, calm demeanor, good sense of humor, and loved to help people. He enjoyed family vacations each summer. He enjoyed time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren playing card and board games, attending sporting events, graduations, etc. Harlan and Dorothy loved to play a dice game called Farkle.

Harlan is survived by his wife, Dorothy, son Gerald and wife Nanci, daughter Janet and husband James, Brothers Ardean and Burdell, Sisters Roberta and Elaine, 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Harlan was preceded in death by his daughter Cathy. Harlan and Dorothy celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on June 22, 2016.

Thanks to all his family and friends who were part of his life especially his caregivers the last couple of years who provided him the best quality of life possible. His strong faith in God and positive attitude were a notable example of a life well lived. He will be missed.

Arrangements under the direction of Lima Family Milpitas-Fremont Mortuary, Fremont, CA.