Sudderth Harms

Colonel Sudderth Albert Harms, the son of Bud Albert and Alice (Sudderth) Harms, was born June 11, 1922, in May, Texas and departed this life on August 12, 2022, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, at the age of 100 years, 2 months and 1 day.

Sudderth graduated high school in Blanket, Texas and entered Howard Payne College in Brownwood, Texas at which time WWII began. He served 3 1/2 years as an enlisted man in the Army Air Corps in both the continental U.S. and the Pacific theater. Upon release from the service following WWII, he re-entered college earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. After that, Sudderth was admitted to Golden Gate Seminary earning a Bachelor of Divinity Degree in homiletics and a Master's Degree in Religious Education while serving as pastor at Tracy Baptist Church in Tracy, CA.

He received a direct commission in the Air Force on November 17, 1950. He attended Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, from January to April 1957. He was then assigned to Shaw Air Force Base South Carolina serving as Assistant Wing Chaplain and assistant Base Chaplain until January 1959. His first overseas assignment was to Headquarters 47th Support Group, Sculthorpe Air Base, England, where he served as Chaplain and Wing/Base Staff Chaplain until February 1962. Upon returning to CONUS, he was assigned to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota until September 1963. He was then transferred to Headquarters Sheppard Technical Training Center, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas where he successively served as Hospital Chaplain, School Division Chaplain, Support Division Chaplain, and Chaplain of the Specialized Ministries Branch until May 1967. Sudderth was then transferred to the 6486th Air Base Wing, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, where he served as Assistant Wing Chaplain and Wing Protestant Chaplain until June 1970 when he was reassigned to the 3415th Air Base Group, Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel on January 2, 1973 and became the Installation Chaplain, 381st Combat Support Group, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. His service record included the Meritorious Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with five oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster. After retiring in June of 1977, he and Lawanda moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas and later relocated to Go Ye Village in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Sudderth touched many lives over the years and will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Lawanda Harms; his sisters Elaine Austin and Trulah Chick; and great grandson Xabriel Livingston Harms.

He is survived by a loving family which includes his children Rickey Harms and wife Crystal of Seligman, MO and Elletra Harms of Beatrice, NE; his brother Buel Harms and wife Lavada of Millbrook, AL; and his grandchildren John Harms and wife Amanda of Garden City, KS, their children Quinlynn, Keagan, and Hattie, Jolana Gooding and husband Brad of Bella Vista, AR, their children Silas, Clayton, Dylan and Titus, and Matthew Harms and wife Megan of Salina, OK. Several nieces, nephews, friends and other relatives also survive him.