Harlan Wayne Maasdam was born Nov. 6, 1946, to Fred L. and Wilma (Van Wyk) Maasdam in Oskaloosa. He passed away Aug. 2, 2020, at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Funeral service will be Thursday, Aug. 6, at 10 a.m. at Sully First Reformed Church. Interment in Sully Cemetery will follow the service. Memorials have been designated for the Sully First Reformed Church Building Fund.
Harlan was born and raised on the Maasdam family farm where he lived. He attended Austin Country School and then Lynnville-Sully, graduating in 1965.
Harlan loved the outdoors, farming, and tinkering in the shop. He was active in the FFA. After graduation, he joined the National Guard in Newton, where he served six years. May 17, 1966, he was united in marriage to Carleen K. Van Der Wilt and had four children: Darrell, Douglas, Dwayne, and Cheri.
Harlan farmed the family farm and worked for the Maasdam Sorghum Mill in the fall. He and his dad owned and operated a Wheel Horse garden tractor business for many years. They even made a tractor tire turner to make into feed bunks. He loved tractors and had a large toy tractor collection as well as a nice collection of real tractors. He made many friends over the years with these hobbies. Enjoying tractor rides were always a summer event he looked forward to. Harlan was a member of the former Lynnville-Sully Jaycees, and active in the Red Rock Threshers Club and Sully First Reformed Church where he served as an elder. Harlan and Carleen enjoyed travelling and went to Holland, Canada, Alaska, and many western states. They cruised to New England, Nova Scotia, and Panama on the ship “MS Maasdam.”
June 29, 2020, he entered Newton Health Care Center due to Parkinson’s disease, which he bravely fought for eight years.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 54 years Carleen and their family: Darrell (Susan) Maasdam; Douglas (Shawna) Maasdam, Brett and Kaylee; Dwayne (Janelle) Maasdam, Zachary and Taylor, and Cheri (Jesse) Vander Weerdt, Corbin, Kyler, and Kirsten.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his parents-in-law Carroll and Artie Van Der Wilt, his sister Jan Handley, his brother-in-law Eldon Van Wyk, and many uncles, aunts, and cousins.
