Gerald Harsh 'Skip' - Adel

Gerald Duane "Skip" Harsh passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 14th, 2015 at Winterset Care Center North in Winterset, Iowa. He was 78. Gerald (Skip) was born February 1st, 1937 in Des Moines, Iowa. He was the son of Delores Harsh Knight of Urbandale, Iowa. Funeral Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, March 21st, at The First Christian in Adel with burial at Oakdale Cemetery. Friends may call after 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 20th at McCalley Funeral Home in Adel where the family will greet friends from 4-7 p.m. with prayer service at 7 p.m. Gerald (Skip) was a 1956 graduate of Adel High School where he was class Vice President and a 3 sport athlete excelling in basketball. He attended Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) for one year where he played basketball for the Panthers. He then returned back to the Adel area where he began a 40 year career working for Iowa Power and Light Company (now Mid-American Energy) where he retired as a Superintendent over the Delaware Work Center. Over the years Skip hired many local Adel kids, known as "Skippy's boys", where many of them continued their career. Over the years Skip was a Football Official, Track and Field Official/Starter where he started many track meets across the state of Iowa including the Drake Relays and Iowa High School Boys and Girls State Meets. Skip is a member of the ADM (Adel) Hall of Fame, Drake Relays Wall of Fame and Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Fame. Other groups included the Lions Club years ago and he was a 50 year member of the Adel Masonic Lodge. In his spare time Skip enjoyed spending time with the love of his life Patty and his family. He also enjoyed refinishing furniture, gardening, tending to the birds and squirrels, his dogs and cats over the years, volunteering at ADM sporting events, the ADM Alumni Association and attending the various sporting events and activities of his grandchildren. Over the years he also enjoyed trips to Lake of the Ozarks, attending Iowa and Iowa State sporting events as well as traveling to the various ADM Tiger Football games. Gerald (Skip) is survived by his wife Patty of Adel; children Sandra McVey of Winterset; Jeffrey (Jill) Harsh of Adel; Jennifer (Corey) Dailey of LeMars; 6 grandchilden; Kyle Wallace and Heidiann (Billy) Campbell; Trevor and Nolan Harsh; Austin and Nathaniel Agnitsch; 5 great grandchildren; Billy Jr., Rylan, Kaeden, Aiden, and Karsen; several nieces, nephews and many friends. He was preceded in death by his mother Delores Harsh Knight; Step-father John Knight; grandparents Harry and Frieda Harsh and aunt and uncle Cecile and Don Wallace. Memorial Contributions can be made to Adel First Christian Church, HCI Hospice Care Services in West Des Moines, Iowa or ADM(Adel) Scholarship Foundation. Online condolences may be left at this site. Service: 10:00 AM Saturday March 21, 2015 First Christian Church Adel, Iowa Visitation: Friends may call after 2:00 PM Friday, March 20th. Family will greet friends from 4:00 to-7:00 PM. McCalley Funeral Home Adel, Iowa