Thursday, September 12, 2024

A Family Legacy

by Jennifer Konkle

The Grebel experience has been foundational for the Harder-Heide family, as three generations have lived in the College residence.

Ed Harder (Lived in residence 1963-66)

Ed Harder was one of the first students to experience the new Grebel community. The energy and optimism that surrounded the school was unmistakable and it created a deep connection to the College and lifelong friendships among his cohort.

Ed frequently shared with family about his time at Grebel—regaling them with stories of his “shenanigans,” as well as some of the outdated rules. He recalled the dining experience, with family-style meals where a jacket and tie were often required. The strict separation between the men’s and women’s floors stood out in his memory too, particularly the limited Sunday afternoon visits where doors had to remain open and one foot had to be on the floor. However, students were allowed to smoke in their rooms!

As a lover of music, Ed appreciated singing in the choir under the direction of Professor Helen Martens and liked playing on the hockey team. He especially enjoyed the pranks. Ed often talked about the night he and his friends carried a Volkswagen Beetle into the cafeteria, much to the surprise of students arriving for breakfast. Other adventures involved sneaking snacks from the kitchen by crawling down the laundry chute—a testament to the lengths students would go for a late-night treat.

Ed Harder and two friends sitting on bed

Ed passed away in June 2024 but was pleased to know that his grandsons were continuing the family’s legacy at Grebel.

Rebecca (Harder) Heide (Lived in residence 1992-94)

Decades later, Ed’s daughter Rebecca carried on the family trradition, living at Grebel in the early 1990s. “I loved living on the beautiful Grebel campus with my room overlooking the university,” she shared, emphasizing the sense of community that comes from living among familiar faces while also meeting new people. Many of the relationships Rebecca formed in university continue today.

The All-College Retreat at Silver Lake was a meaningful tradition for Rebecca, especially as a former SLMC staff person. She still cherishes memories of events like the Christmas and Spring End-of-Term Banquets and Community Suppers, and spoke fondly of her roommates. A particularly significant moment for Rebecca was when “Duane and I got engaged in 1994 while still living at Grebel!”

“We were thrilled to drop off Nicholas in September 2022 and we discovered that he was going to be living in the room right next to my old one,” Rebecca added. “Grebel still does an amazing job at pairing up roommates. Nick really got along well with his roommate, just like I did with mine in 1992!” She is looking forward to helping her other son, Noah, move in to Grebel this fall. “Grebel is the perfect place for students to be during their first year living away from home,” she added. “It’s close to main campus, has the best home-cooked food, and has wonderful established community. It’s a home away from home!

Duane Heide (Lived in residence 1991-94)

Duane, Rebecca’s husband, also lived at Grebel in the early ’90s. “I lived in the Quad with John Brubacher and Paul Janzen one year,” he recalled, highlighting the close-knit friendships they developed. Not only was Duane the Editor of GrebelSpeaks for one of his years at Grebel, but he had also recently acquired his private pilot’s license. On weekends and evenings, Duane flew Grebelites over the University of Waterloo campus and neighboring townships. He even took the cooks to see their homestead farms from a birds eye view! 

Nick Heide (Lived in residence 2022-23)

Nick’s family history at Grebel added a layer of significance to his experience, as he lived in a room “looking over the volleyball court.” He loved “hanging out with friends in the lounge and playing pool in the games room,” as well as playing on the Grebel intramural sports teams. A particularly memorable moment for Nick was “touring my Grandpa around Grebel during an open house, but it quickly turned into him touring me around.” 

Noah Heide (Living in residence 2024-25)

Now, as Noah moves into Grebel, he is looking forward to “meeting new people and potential lifelong friends” and is excited about the food. As he begins his classes at Waterloo in Global Business and Digital Arts, Noah feels connected to his family’s history. “I’ll think of my Grandpa walking those same halls 60 years ago. It will be special to live at Grebel and have that connection, especially with his passing this year. And my parents were there 30 years ago!”

Rebecca, Noah, and Duane in Grebel residence room

Rebecca, Noah, and Duane on Move-In Day 2024