Harriet Schlecht, age 89, of rural Porter, MN passed away peacefully with her family at her side on Sunday, July 20, 2025 at the Sanford Canby Medical Center in Canby, MN. Memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on August 1st at the First Baptist Church in Canby, MN. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby, MN has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Harriet Adell Schlecht was born on November 30, 1935 to Caleb and Eleanor (Nyland) Bjur in LaMoure County, North Dakota. She grew up on the family farm in rural Kulm, ND and attended country school in Swede Township. After attending high school in Kulm, Harriet attended Bethel College in Minneapolis, MN and Valley City Teacher’s College in ND and taught school in Napolean, ND for 1 year. Harriet met Calvin Schlecht during summer break at the July Fourth celebration at Roy’s Park near Kulm. They were united in marriage on July 22, 1956 in Kulm. Calvin was in the Army, so they lived in Sheboygan, Wisconsin until Calvin’s discharge in February of 1957. After his discharge they moved to LaMoure County, ND for a short time before moving to a farm by Monango, ND where all six children were born. They farmed and milked cows together. They moved to their current farm near Porter, MN in December of 1964 in partnership with the Rhea Brothers. Here they bred, raised, and milked Holstein dairy cattle. In 1971 they bought out the partnership, and it became Caliet Holsteins. Calvin, Harriet and family exhibited cattle at numerous local, state and national shows. In July of 2001, after many years of milking, they sold the dairy operation and began raising beef cattle until their retirement. They were routinely seen at local sale barns and attending grandchildren’s activities. They attended the First Baptist Church. Harriet & Calvin enjoyed a cup of coffee, visiting with friends and going for drives to check out the crops and the countryside. Harriet was an excellent cook, and everyone enjoyed her cracker jack, butter cookies and hard tack. Harriet and Calvin enjoyed their birthday celebration held on July 5th in Porter with many friends, neighbors and relatives attending. Harriet was hospitalized on July 16th and passed away peacefully on July 20th with her family at her side at the age of 89 years, 7 months and 20 days.
Grateful for having shared Harriet’s life is her husband of 69 years, Calvin and their six children: Darcy Schlecht, Cavour, SD, Carla (Duane) Nieuwboer, Kenneth, MN, Kirby (Kim) Schlecht, Whitewood, SD, Kim (Beth) Schlecht, Balaton, MN, Jay (Julie) Schlecht, Easley, SC, and Monty (Julie) Schlecht, Canby, MN; 15 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren along with numerous relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Virgil (Darlene) Bjur & two brothers-in-law, Dabolt Ketterling & Elroy (Jean) Schlecht.
