Harold Lee Roy Mann, beloved husband, brother, father and grandfather, 82, of Urbandale, Iowa, died Monday, Oct. 9, at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.
Harold was born Sept. 25, 1941, in Des Moines, Iowa, to parents Ben and Hazel Mann. He grew up on Des Moines' north side and attended Nash Elementary School where he made many lifelong friends. He later attended East High School before graduating from North High School in June 1959. While at North he was a member of the wrestling team and active in the Latin and science clubs.
North High remained close to Harold's heart throughout his life. He was an active member of the school's alumni association and took great joy in meeting North High students through the association's scholarship program.
Harold earned a bachelor's degree in history from Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1963. He was a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and a three-year letterman on the varsity football team.
After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, where he served in the 7th Army Headquarters as a personnel specialist. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal upon his discharge in 1965.
Harold joined American Republic Insurance Company in Des Moines in 1965 and later worked for Allied Insurance Company.
He married Nancy Morrow in July 1967 and the couple had two children, Brad, who died tragically at age 3, and Phillip. Harold was a loving father who was devoted to his children. He took great joy in being a parent volunteer for Phil's activities, especially the Dowling High School soccer program, where he made many friends.
Harold later married Gaye Flesher in July 1988 and inherited two stepchildren that he helped raise. Harold and Gaye later moved to Kansas City, Kansas, and Lawrenceburg, Indiana. While in Indiana, Harold earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Xavier University. He enjoyed following the Xavier basketball team, as well as the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals.
Harold and Gaye returned to the Des Moines area in 2008 to be closer to family and friends.
In 2000, Harold was diagnosed with Parkingson's disease, which gradually affected his mobility. However, it did not stop him from being a doting grandfather in his later years. He enjoyed attending his grandchildren's games and activities and playing silly games during sleepover nights.
Harold was a lifelong learner and avid history buff. He spent hours poring through books, both hardbacks and later on his Kindle, on U.S. history topics, especially the Civil War. In his later years, he took an interest in ancestry and spent time researching the Mann family history online.
Harold is survived by his wife, Gaye Mann of Urbandale; son, Phil (Lodore) Mann of Corvallis, Oregon; stepchildren, Angie (Brian) Daniels of Johnston, Iowa, and Charles (Michelle) Flesher of Grimes, Iowa; sisters, Darlene (Gary) Jones of Altoona, Iowa, and Kathy Bahl of Dubuque, Iowa; grandchildren Max, Sam and Charley; as well as many loving nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son, Brad Mann.
Services will be held at a later date with burial of cremations at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines.