Harley Ashbaugh was born to Harley Howard Ashbaugh, Sr., and Harriet Mae (Barber) Ashbaugh on March 14, 1922, in Jackson Township, Sac County, Iowa. He attended both rural and town school during elementary school and graduated from Sac City High School in 1939. He later attended Colorado State Teachers’ College in Greeley, Colorado, and earned a journalism degree from the University of Iowa in 1949, where he met his wife Jane when he took French from her at the University.

Harley married Jane Stevens in Seattle, Washington, on August 14, 1948. Harley and Jane had three children, Carolyn, Mark, and Elaine.

Harley edited newspapers in Humboldt, Iowa, and Durango, Colorado, before returning to the family farm in March of 1951. He enjoyed writing features, especially about Mesa Verde and the Native American cultures of southwestern Colorado.

Harley Ashbaugh was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church in Sac City, Iowa, where he served as an Elder and sang baritone in the choir. Harley enjoyed music and participated in a number of community musical productions over the years. Harley was committed to social justice and racial equality and served as a board member of Community Opportunities from 1989 until 2001. He was also elected to a term on the Housing Board. After Watergate, Harley was active in Sac County Democrats. Harley was a member of Lions Club and a Board Member of the Sac City Historical Museum. He contributed a number of items to the country school museum in Sac City, including the Victrola from the country school he had attended. After his retirement, Harley and Jane were involved in the Sac City school math and reading tutoring program where they worked one-on-one with students and supported and encouraged high achievement. Education and the study of history were high priorities in Harley’s life. He was a member of the journalism fraternity Sigma Delta Chi and a lifetime member of the University of Iowa Alumni Association.

Harley was a member of Saddle Club and enjoyed trail rides, rodeo fun day, and the rodeo itself. He used to ride “pick-up” at the rodeo on his trusted cutting horse, Sparky, pulling fallen bull and bronco riders to safety. Harley was an excellent rider.

Harley had a lifelong interest in travel, starting with camping trips to Colorado as a boy to see his maternal grandparents. In 1959 he traveled by car through nearly all the countries of South America with world traveler Hart Rosdail. In fifth grade, he had learned that llamas spit. On his South American trip, he tested the hypothesis by teasing a llama and confirmed that, yes, llamas do spit. In 1971 he took his first backpacking trip with daughter Carolyn and friends in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. In the 1970s and 1980s, Harley and Jane enjoyed trips to Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Yugoslavia, Greece, Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Morocco, Czechoslovakia, Chile, Peru, the Soviet Union, China, Japan, and Hong Kong. He especially enjoyed his two trips to Machu Picchu in Peru. In 1988, he and Jane traveled with Mark to Punta Arenas on the Strait of Magellan in southern Chile. From Punta Arenas, they traveled north to Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, the highlight of their trip. Harley and Jane took their last trip abroad to Germany and the Czech Republic in 1996.

Harley Ashbaugh farmed near Sac City with his father, mother, and six siblings as a boy, and with his father, mother, and brother as a young man. He returned to farming in 1951 and retired in 1987. He could harness a team of horses by age eight by standing next to each horse on an upside down milk pail. By age eleven, he was cultivating whole fields with a team of horses and a horse-drawn cultivator. He planted his rows straight, and he wanted his fields clean. He enjoyed singer-songwriter Greg Brown’s song “Walking the Beans.” The song includes the line “Persnickety wants it clean.” He continued to help his nephew Scott Ashbaugh through 2003, enjoying running the combine and being a part of the harvest.

Harley was an athletic man. At one time he could do 115 consecutive push-ups. As a young man, Harley whooped and startled a team of horses while mowing hay. The team ran away, and Harley jumped backward over the mower blades, still holding the reins. The team dragged him across the field. Harley was proud of the fact that he held onto the reins, finally brought the team under control, and hadn’t allowed the team to go through a fence.

He had a photographic memory for people, history, crops, dates, weather, politics, etc. Until his final days, he remembered the names and personalities of every team of horses he and his family had owned, even though he sold his last team in 1951. Harley enjoyed traveling, farming, camping, music, history, friends, family, and conversation.

Harley is survived by his wife Jane Ashbaugh, his children Carolyn, Mark, and Elaine Ashbaugh; his grandchildren Brandt, Derek, Karl, and Laura Amlie; his sisters Veda Steadman, Lois Stevenson, and Harriet Johnson; his brother Dr. R. E. Ashbaugh; and brother-in-law Glen E. Johnson. He is survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. He is survived by son-in-law Nick Amlie. Harley was preceded in death by his sisters Vivian Zipperian and Dr. Vera Ashbaugh Cass.

Harley was blessed to have children and grandchildren who enjoyed returning to Sac City for visits. A special thanks is given to his four grandchildren for their numerous visits during each year. They have continued their frequent visits, even in recent years, despite many and varied school, work, college, and West Point commitments.

Harley has also enjoyed working with his nephew Scott Ashbaugh and sharing farming experiences and an interest in family history. His niece Suzy Zipperian Hall, husband Jeremy, and children Hana and David have brightened his life and will sorely miss him. His nephew Ernie Johnson and wife Patty have been attentive to him, and he has greatly appreciated their visits.

Harley has resided at Park View Care Center following a head-on motor vehicle collision on May 28, 2004, in Sac City. He suffered a massive stroke on March 26, 2006, and slipped away peacefully on March 31, 2006.

In addition to the funeral service on Thursday, April 6, 2006, a memorial service at First Presbyterian Church in June will commemorate the lives of Dr. Vera Ashbaugh Cass (February 4, 1916-March 6, 2006) and Harley H. Ashbaugh, Jr. Farber and Otteman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements for both the April 6 and joint June services.