Harold Michels, Jr.

Harold Fredrick Michels Jr., 85, of Waterloo, Iowa, formerly of Mason City and Clear Lake, died at Lakeview Landing of Friendship Village on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017 of natural causes.

Memorial Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, at Cedar Valley Community Church, in Waterloo, Iowa, followed with a flag presentation by Waterloo Amvets Post #19, Evansdale Amvets Post #31 and Iowa Army National Guard Honor Guard. Inurnment will be at later date in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. Visitation will be for an hour before services at the church on Friday. Memorials may be directed to the church.

He was born Dec. 9, 1931, in Grand Island, Neb. the son of Harold F. Sr. and Ann Kasik Michels. He married Mary Louise Ulin on June 12, 1953, in Mason City, Iowa; she preceded him in death on Oct. 16, 2010.

He graduated from Mason City High School and graduated in 1954 from Iowa State University, in Ames, Iowa with a degree in civil engineering

  Harold began his career as a civil engineer at Wallace & Holland, in Mason City, moved to Waterloo in 1969 to work for Young Plumbing & Heating Development Co.  In 1981  he started his own firm, Michels Engineering

  Harold served in the U.S. Army as part of the Army Corp of Engineers assigned to the Air Force as a photographer at Fort Wolters, in Mineral Wells, Texas from 1954 to 1956.

  He was a member of Cedar Valley Community Church where he also tended to the grounds.  He served weekly at Harvest Vineyard Waterloo and Countryside Vineyard in Evansdale. He was an active member of the Gideon’s and Love Inc. volunteer.

He is survived by his four daughters, Darlene (Greg) Cooper, Rochester, Minn.; Lynda (Craig) Van Syoc, Clear Lake; Nancy (Joe) Schaefer, Hudson, Iowa; and Wendy (Brian) Knapp‑Bowman, Cedar Falls, Iowa; eight grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; a sister, Donna (Lorenz) Daleske; two nieces and a nephew.

  Harold was a strong supporter of organizations that spread the gospel, serve those in poverty (particularly Veterans, Native Americans, and Appalachians) and uphold the Constitution of the United States of America.

  In addition to his strong faith, wisdom, and acts of service, Harold will best be remembered for his love of nature, great intelligence, sense of humor, devotion to family, and the beautiful cabin he designed and built over 35 years on the banks of Clear Lake. There deep bonds and lasting memories were formed.

  Arrangements by Locke Funeral Home, Waterloo Iowa.