Barbara Kohlhagen Harju of The Villages, Florida, passed away October 8, 2021 at the age of 79 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin on October 25, 1941 to Willard and Eunice Bremer Kohlhagen. She attended Sheboygan Falls Public Schools and graduated from Sheboygan Falls High School in 1960. Barbara earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a master’s degree in education from the National College of Education in Evanston, Illinois. Barbara taught elementary education and reading in both the Sheboygan School District in Wisconsin and the Kewaskum School District in Wisconsin for more than 25 years.
After moving to The Villages, Barbara was active in the women’s recreational softball program and played on the Golden Gals Softball Team, serving as captain of the Golden Gals 75’s Team that won the national senior championship in Albuquerque, New Mexico in June of 2019. In addition, Barbara and her teams won at least 10 national championships over the past 20 years, as well as many senior championships.
Barbara is survived by her husband George Allmann of the Villages, Florida; a daughter Mary (Scott) Novotny of West Bend, Wisconsin; two sons, David Harju of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Peter (Nicole) Harju of Cedarburg, Wisconsin and a stepdaughter Debra (Eric) Swanson of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is further survived by five grandchildren: Elizabeth, Ailsa, and Jack Harju, Michael and Amanda Novotny, and a step-grandchild Sean Allmann. She is survived by two sisters, Kathy Choren and Joanne Bosley, both of Mequon, Wisconsin. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents Willard and Eunice Kohlhagen, and a son John Harju.
A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held on November 9, 2021 at Hope Lutheran Church in the Villages. Another celebration of Barbara’s life will be held in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin at the Salem Plankroad UCC church, followed by a private burial at the Sheboygan Falls cemetery.
