Gaylon Harbaugh

Gaylon Lee Harbaugh was born in June, 1938, at his maternal grandmother’s home in Paton to Merritt Paul and Elma Juanita Gliem Harbaugh. During World War II, the family lived in Oklahoma where Gaylon’s father built airplane runways. Gaylon started elementary school in Oklahoma.

The family moved to Farlin, Iowa in 1945 when Gaylon’s grandfather, LeRoy Harbaugh, died. They farmed LeRoy’s farm and Gaylon rode his pony to country school, Bristol #6, west of Farlin, and later attended school in Jefferson. The family moved to a farm near Webster City in 1952 and Gaylon graduated from Webster City High School in 1957. He farmed with his father until his death in 1961 and then continued farming and serving in the National Guard. In 1969, Gaylon and his mother moved to Jefferson and Gaylon drove Star Route mail routes.

Gaylon was united in marriage in 1973 to Janice Kuehl of Herndon, Iowa at the First Baptist Church in Jefferson. They lived in Altoona, Iowa until 1991 when they moved to an acreage near Mitchellville, Iowa. Gaylon enjoyed their little farm with a large garden, sheep, a mule, and a donkey.

The couple retired to Jefferson in 2009. Gaylon spent his later years visiting with family here, driving his pick-up, reading about the Civil War, reminiscing about motorcycle trips in earlier years, and remembering  boyhood times in Greene County.

Preceding him in death were his parents, a baby brother, and his brother Jack. Surviving is his wife, Janice,  brother, Gary Harbaugh of Jefferson, and  sister, Linda Cormaney, of Webster City.

Many nieces and nephews are left to remember Gaylon:  Mike (Tawnya) Harbaugh, Chris (Jeri) Harbaugh, Carrie (Gary) Carstensen, and Kelley McCane all of Jefferson; Shelley (Ryan) VanDerMeide of Chanhassen, Minnesota; Sara Cormaney of Webster City and Emily (Kevin) Drane of York, Illinois. Also, Ashleigh (Dan) Woodford of Ankeny and Nicholas Dinkel of Minneapolis, Kasey (Cory) Jacobs of Yvette, Iowa.

Nephews Jeremy (Rachel) Kuehl of Jefferson; Aaron Kuehl of Boone; and niece Autumn Kuehl of Boston, Massachusetts.

Many grand-nephews and nieces and other relatives and friends. 

No services are planned at this time.