Jack Harbaugh

August 13, 1930 - May 3, 2016

Jack Harbaugh Jefferson, Iowa Date of Death: May 3, 2016 Funeral Services for Jack Harbaugh, 85, of Jefferson will be 10:00 am Saturday, May 7, 2016 at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson. Interment will be at the Jefferson Cemetery. Visitation will be after 1:00 pm on Friday at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Memorials are suggested to the family. Jack Merlin Harbaugh was born on August 13, 1930 in Greene County, Iowa, the son of Merritt Harbaugh and Elma Gliem Harbaugh. He passed away in his home surrounded by his family on May 3, 2016 at the age of 85 years. Jack grew up mostly in Jefferson and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1948. After high school, he worked as a supervisor for the Dairy Herd Improvement Association before going to work for Thermogray in Jefferson. He spent time working at various gas stations and car dealerships, including Harrison Ford. On December 28, 1957, Jack was united in marriage to Joan Price at the First Baptist Church in Jefferson. After moving to Nebraska for a year, they returned to Jefferson to make their home. They were blessed with three children, Michael Paul, Chris Merlin, and Carrie Jo. In 1968, Jack opened his own business, Jack’s Auto Reconditioning Service and Sales. Joan helped with him throughout the years and at a very young age, Mike joined his parents in the business, which to most people was known simply as Jack’s Auto. Over the years they sold thousands of cars to people all over Iowa and many other states. In 2003, with plans to retire, Jack sold the business to Mike. Retirement didn’t mean slowing down for him. He continued working along side Mike nearly every day still enjoying buying and selling cars and visiting with the many people who came through the doors. Jack had a lifelong love of cars. He loved them all, but especially antiques. He not only built his business around cars, but they were also his hobby. He was a member of the Boone Tall Corn Club, the VCCA Chevy Car Club, and the Des Moines Regional AACA Car Club. He enjoyed going to any activities involving cars, whether it be auctions, shows, or various get togethers with club members. In his later years, he enjoyed spending weekends with his wife, Joan, visiting various casinos or in Des Moines wandering the aisles of Costco. Jack loved to tell stories. He shared memories from his past with his siblings, who were known to each other mostly by their nicknames, Gooch, Gage, Jake, and Squirt. He shared everyday happenings usually involving the person sitting right next to him winning a jackpot at the casino. Jack was preceded in death by his parents and an infant brother, Merritt Leroy Harbaugh. He is survived by his wife, Joan Harbaugh, his children, Michael (Tawnya) Harbaugh, Chris, (Jerilynne) Harbaugh, and Carrie (Gary) Carstensen all of Jefferson, IA; 11 grandchildren :Cassandra Harbaugh, Allison (Zackary) McEntire, Matthew and Kasey Rickers, Ashleigh and Nicholas Dinkel, Jax, Jayden, Eli, Brady, and Maddox Carstensen; 2 brothers: Gaylon (Janice) Harbaugh and Gary Harbaugh both of Jefferson, sister Linda Cormaney of Webster City, IA; sister-in-law Kathleen Wittfoth of Waterloo, IA; other relatives and many friends.