John Robert Harms

John Robert Harms, 75, of Lawrence, KS, passed away at Saint Luke's Hospice House on August 22, 2026 after an 18-year battle with multiple myeloma.

John was born January 29, 1951, in Moberly, Missouri, to Florian Louis Harms and Marie Amelia Harms (Hederich). He grew up in Salisbury, Missouri, where he graduated from Salisbury High School in 1969. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri.

John spent his professional career as a mechanical engineer with CASE Inc., where his talent for practical problem-solving and mechanical design led to several patents related to backhoe digger design. He had an exceptional ability to understand how things worked and, perhaps even more importantly, how to fix them. He approached life with the same qualities that defined his work: thoughtful, efficient, orderly, and resourceful.

John was a quiet and introverted man who showed his love through action. He valued education, hard work, providing for his family, and making the most of what he had. He was known for his kindness, dry sense of humor, ingenuity, and remarkable ability to fix nearly anything. He loved his dogs, water skiing, a cold beer, and most of all, spending time with his family.

Over the course of his life, John called Salisbury, Missouri; Burlington, Iowa; Wichita, Kansas; Warrensburg, Missouri; and Lawrence, KS home.

John is survived by his sister, Janet Wynne Monell; his daughters, Christina Marie Holt and Andrea Lynn Glinn; and his five grandchildren, Ava Amelia Isabelle Holt, Lydia Elizabeth Holt, Orien Glinn, Isla Glinn, and Emmy Glinn. He was preceded in death by his parents, Florian and Marie Harms, and his brother, James Frederic Harms.

John will be remembered for his quiet strength, his generous and practical nature, his ability to solve any problem placed in front of him, and the many ways he cared for the people he loved. See less