Harold J. Fast, age 87 of Alexandria, Minnesota passed away on February 27, 2014 in Allen, Texas. He was born on June 18, 1926 in Mountain Lake, Minnesota to Anna (Wieler) and Jacob Fast. He received his education at District 16 South and 16 Central Country School and graduated from Mountain Lake High School in 1945. He continued his education at Mountain Lake Bible School. Harold was baptized upon his confession of faith at Bethel Mennonite Church in Mountain Lake, Minnesota. On September 2, 1947, Harold was united in marriage to Elfrieda Loewen at the Gospel Mennonite Church in Mountain Lake, Minnesota. Harold and Elfrieda farmed in the Mountain Lake/Windom area. Harold worked part time at the Delft Co-op Elevator. He also worked at Farm Bureau in Windom and then the family moved to Hutchinson, Minnesota where he worked at Hutch Farm Services. In 1972 the family moved to Brownsdale, Minnesota where he was assistant manager at the Farmers Co-op Elevator. In 1975 Harold started working at Sauk Centre Elevator where he was the manager of the grain and feed department. He retired in 1990 and continued to work part time selling corn, soy beans, and alfalfa seed at Farmers Union Oil in Alexandria, Minnesota. He worked at the Burgen Rest Area until they started going south for the winter. Harold and Elfrieda volunteered at Wycliff Bible Translators in Dallas, Texas for three winters, then spent the next five winters in Mesa, Arizona. Church was very important to Harold. He was a Sunday School teacher, Church Treasurer, Deacon, and member of the Mission Committee and Membership Committee. He was also a Gideon.
Harold is survived by his wife, Elfrieda Fast of Alexandria, Minnesota; four children, H. James Fast of Golden, Colorado, Kathryn A. Fast of Crescent City, California, Norman D. Fast of Denver, Colorado and Donna M. Lundborg of Little Elm, Texas; three grandchildren, Sheila Herd and her husband, Dan, Jessica Allen and her husband, Nathan, Erin Brown and her fiancé, Luke Patterson; three great-grandchildren, Natalie and Zachary Allen and Drew Brown; brother, Alvin J. Fast of Bingham Lake, Minnesota; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
Harold is preceded in death by his son, Ronald D. Fast; twin brother, Harry and his wife, Alice Fast; sister-in-law, Velma Fast; and parents Anna and Jacob Fast.
A Funeral Service will be held at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel in Frisco on Monday, March 3, 2014 at 10:30 AM with Chaplain Katherine Dickson officiating. Family and friends are invited to the funeral home in Frisco for a Visitation that will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2014 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.