Gaylen Phillip Harms' Obituary
Gaylen Phillip Harms, 84, of Daytona Beach, FL, flew away to Jesus on May 5, 2025. Born on March 27, 1941, he was a devoted husband to Betty and a loving father to Sara, Tim, Phillip, Jennifer and David.
Gaylen was a devoted family man, a gifted entrepreneur, and a respected banker — but above all, he was a man defined by his faith, generosity, and passion for life. He loved Jesus deeply and lived every day to the fullest.
Those who knew Gaylen will remember his boundless energy and his drive to live life big. He was a man of adventure, always embracing new experiences and encouraging others to do the same. Whether he was hosting a gathering, sharing a heartfelt song, or offering a word of encouragement, Gaylen had a remarkable gift of hospitality and a spirit that made everyone feel welcome and seen.
A talented singer and a relentless optimist, he brought joy wherever he went. His positive outlook, deep compassion, and unwavering faith were an inspiration to all who knew him.
Gaylen's legacy is one of love, laughter, faith, and generosity — a life lived fully, in service to others and to the God he so dearly cherished.
He is survived by his wife Betty of 62 years, his children Sara (Tim) Arfsten, Tim Harms, Phillip (Shelly) Harms, Jennifer Mills, and David (Amber) Harms, his grandchildren Caleb (Allison) Arfsten, Amanda (Chase) Ballard, Chloe (Peter) Bergk, Simon and Sophie Harms, Madeline (Daniel) Yarbrough, Tyler (Amy) Mills, Emily and Hunter Mills and Rafe Harms, and great grandchildren Andrew, Rhett, and Luke Arfsten and Leah, Emma, Lucy and Noah Ballard. While never formally adopted, Linh (David) Nguyen and Liem “Lee” (Xuan) Tran and their children Thomas and Alexander Nguyen and Trinh and Joseph Tran were foster children who became family.
Gaylen’s celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach, Florida. In honor of Gaylen’s life, we invite you to share a song, an act of kindness, or an adventure — just as he would have done. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Unfolding Word, the Bible translation organization he was passionate about.
"Well done, good and faithful servant." — Matthew 25:21
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