Harold Lloyd Bahrenburg, 96, of Cole Camp, passed away Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at EW Thompson Health and Rehabilitation Center in Sedalia. He was born on November 17, 1929, in his parents' farmhouse near Cole Camp, Missouri, a son of Leo John Frederick and Ella Marie Louise (Rambow) Bahrenburg.
Harold grew up on a farm near Brauersville east of Cole Camp, where he became a child of God through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism on December 1, 1929, and confessed his faith in the Triune God through the Rite of Confirmation on June 27, 1943 at Brauersville Lutheran Church by Rev. Rudolph Kranz.
He attended Bahrenburg School near Brauersville, where it was common to speak both German and English which Harold learned by listening to his elders. In 1947, he graduated from Cole Camp High School. While attending high school, Harold played baseball and basketball and helped his dad on the farm. During the summers, he would go on the wheat harvest along with a couple of friends and also worked for a short time at the Tomesetti Shoe Factory in Cole Camp. Harold liked to go dancing with Irene Heisterberg and LaVerne Bohling on the weekends and soon he and LaVerne began dating.
In 1949, he moved to Kansas City and started working at General Motors at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kansas. He served as a Committeeman, Zone Committeeman, and Bargaining Chairman of United Auto Workers Local 31 while at the plant. In August of 1974, he was appointed to the staff of the International United Auto Workers where he served as an international representative until he retired in January of 1995.
On April 8, 1951, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cole Camp, he was united in marriage to LaVerne Ruth Bohling. This union was blessed with the gift of two children, Dennis Dean and Diana Kay. Harold and LaVerne lived in Kansas City for many years and were members of Holy Cross Lutheran Church.
Harold's heart never really left the farm, as he and his family came back on the weekends to check on his cattle. They moved back to Cole Camp in 1991 to tend to their growing cattle operation and transferred their membership to Trinity Lutheran Church, where they were faithful worshippers.
As a young man, Harold raced stock cars. His other hobbies included playing golf, bowling, and hunting. And he was always ready to play cards. He was an avid follower of both the Kansas City Royals and the Kansas City Chiefs.
He is survived by his daughter, Diana Pence of Kansas City; son, Dennis Bahrenburg and his wife Sandy of Blue Springs; grandchildren, Heather Bray of Kansas City and Daniel Bahrenburg and Hanna of Raymore; great-grandchildren, Maxwell Bray, Alexandria Bray, Leo Bahrenburg, and Owen Bahrenburg; numerous nieces and nephews; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Ella Bahrenburg, his wife, LaVerne Bahrenburg, his sister and brother-in-law, Juanita and Homer Pederson, and Grandpa Henry Bahrenburg and Grandma Pauline Eickhoff Bahrenburg, who helped raise him.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cole Camp with Pastor Gregory Truwe officiating. Burial will be in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery near Cole Camp. Pallbearers will be Dan Bahrenburg, Jim Bahrenburg, Luke Beaman, Maxwell Bray, Chandler Homan, Wayne Homan, and Steve Pritzel. Honorary pallbearers will be Leo Bahrenburg, Owen Bahrenburg, Robbie Balke, Keith Darrow, Steve Douglas, and Larry Eckhoff.
The family will receive friends from 6 - 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at Fox Funeral Home in Cole Camp.
The family suggests memorial contributions be given to Trinity Lutheran Church or American Heart Association in care of the Fox Funeral Home, Cole Camp. foxfuneralhomecolecampmo.com.
