On July 31, the world lost a powerhouse pro-life advocate when Lila Harmsen went to her eternal reward. While we often, and rightly, speak of the virtues of those who’ve passed on, sometimes, a soul stands out remarkably — like Lila.

I met her some years ago at the now-closed abortion facility in Fargo. Lila had been fighting for the lives of babies and their parents for decades here and in Jamestown and Grand Forks when abortions were happening in those cities.

Along with her involvement in jail ministry in Valley City, her hometown, Lila was a stalwart pro-life presence in our area.

Her motivation was pure. She learned about abortion at the tender age of 8, she once shared, and it crushed her. She wanted to spread love to spare others.

When we met, Lila was in her late 70s, a veteran

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