Harlan Muth

HARLAN MUTH

Marion

Funeral Mass for Harlan Muth, 68, of Marion, Iowa, formerly of Dickinson, N.D., will be 10 a.m. Friday, June 27, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Father Keith Streifel celebrating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Dickinson. Harlan passed away Sunday, June 22, 2014, at Linn Manor Care Center in Marion, Iowa.

Harlan Peter Muth was born in Dickinson, N.D., on Aug. 11, 1945, the son of Valentine and Margaret (Froehlich) Muth. Harlan attended grade school at Shipley No. 2, a one-room school house, and graduated from Campus High, where he was a member of the high school band, newspaper, yearbook and was the school photographer. Harlan went on to attend college at Dickinson State and Bismarck Junior College. While attending BJC, he worked at Dirlam Shop building and repairing bicycles, fixing door closers, cutting keys and making general repairs. Harlan finished his degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

In 1965, Harlan began a 23-year Air Force career involving teaching aircraft maintenance at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and two tours in Vietnam repairing AC-119G gunships. While on leave from the Air Force, Harlan often spent time assisting with repairs on orphanages. On May 22, 1970, Harlan and Edith Ann Gieser were united in marriage at Hirschville, N.D. The couple was blessed with three children: Melissa Rae, Peter Valentine and Christopher James. Harlan continued his career with the Air Force and was stationed at K.I. Sawyer AFB, where he worked on B-52 aircraft and the MMICS computer system. He would later cross-train into photography. Harlan transferred to become lab manager at Myrtle Beach AFB, S.C., and became the wing photographer and audio-visual manager at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. He then transferred to the 446th Missile SQ at Grand Forks AFB, N.D., and served as a facilities manager and maintenance superintendent, and later base audio-visual manager. While in Grand Forks the family lived on a farm near Ardoch owned by Ardell Korynta. For 11 years, Harlan worked on the farm completing all farm chores and enjoyed spending time with close friends from Ardoch, a Polish community. He often said Ardoch was a great place to raise his family. He enjoyed hunting deer and rabbits in the surrounding area.

Harlan retired from the Air Force in August 1988 and moved to Marengo, Ill., to became a house-husband. He decided he needed to work outside the home and found work at K-mart, Barrett Fork Lift, where he built fork-lift trucks, and later Cunat Brothers, caring for 104 apartments. In 1996, the family moved to Belmont, Wis., for five months, then made their home in Marion, Iowa. While in Marion, Harlan started his own Muth Maintenance business. He was proud to say he had over 500 of the best customers.

Harlan enjoyed spending time on his pontoon boat and in his Winnebago motorhome. He loved making modifications to both with his son, Christopher. His greatest joy was spending time making memories with his family, especially his two grandchildren. Some final words from Harlan would be this, "Do I have any regrets? Yah, a few. But it has been a great life. I thank God for giving me the life I have had, my fabulous wife and family. May He grant me eternal rest with Him."

Those left to celebrate his life include his wife of 44 years, Edith Muth; children, Melissa Rae Muth of Philadelphia, Peter Valentine (Theresa Koltes) and their children, Noah, Re-becca and Cody, of Romeoville, Ill., and Christopher James of Marion, Iowa; siblings, Donald Muth (Annamarie Fichter), Maurice Muth (Delores Knaup) and their daughter, Darla (Greg Berumen), and her daughter, Michaila, Adeline Samek (Verne, deceased) and her children, Roberta (Steve Menden-hall) and their children, Jennifer, Allison and Katie, Bonita (Brant Ambrose) and their children, Brooke and Brittany, and Lynette (Jim Deramus) and their children, David and Kyle.

He was preceded in death by his parents; mother- and father-in-law; niece, Deborah (Muth) Berg; great-niece, Beth Ann Berg; and nephew, Howard James Muth.

Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www. stevensonfuneral home.com.

Arrangements by Stevenson Funeral Home and Crematory, Dickinson, N.D., (701) 483-7900.