Harley De McDonald, age 15, or rural Scranton, IA, passed away on Friday, January 14, 2022 at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City after a courageous fight from injuries suffered in a fire on New Year’s Day.
Funeral service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Monday, January 24, 2022 at the Scranton Community Building with Pastor Dennis Martens of Trinity Lutheran Church officiating. Casket bearers will be Harley’s friends: Brayton Crouse, Lucas Oakes, Brent Dennhardt, Grant Miller, Jacob Hall, Brock Bowman, Kyle Miller, Simon Jordan, John Sprague, and Hayden Venteicher. Burial will be in the Scranton Township Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at the Scranton Community Building from 5-7 P.M. on Sunday, January 23. Additional visitation will be held at the community building on Monday from 1:00 – 2:00 P.M. prior to the service.
Harley was born on October 4, 2006, in Carroll, Iowa and is the son of Marty and Angelina (Ford) McDonald. Harley grew up on the McDonald family farm north of Scranton and was currently a freshman at Greene County Community School in Jefferson. Harley was a member of the Greene County FFA and the Greene County 4H programs. Harley loved showing his roosters and chickens every summer at the Greene County fair and helping his friends show pigs.
Harley was a 5th generation McDonald Family farmer. He was an avid skid loader operator since the age of 3. You could trust him to do anything on the farm. By the age of 7, he was doing the field work and running the auger cart. By age 11, Harley had stepped up to operating the combine. Harley’s favorite farm activity was hauling manure because it was a fast-paced job, and we all know Harley loved speed. The last few years, friends and neighbors have come to trust Harley to help with their farm operations as well.
Harley’s passion for life is what gave him his strong will and outgoing personality. Harley made an impression on every person he met from the age of 2 to 92. He never knew a stranger and was a strong leader in everything he put his mind to. There wasn’t anything Harley couldn’t accomplish as long as it was his idea! Harley’s motto for life: “Work Hard, Play Harder”. Harley’s friends would agree that Harley lived life to the fullest every day. From making contraptions in the shop out of old semi parts, lawn mowers, or trailers, to driving around hours on end in his GMC Duramax just to see what was going on in the world around him.
As we said, Harley had a need for speed. He had his first motocross race at the age of 3. His number had to be a 3 because that’s how old he was at the time. Once he got older, his number became 314 just like his dad had when he raced motocross. Harley started racing motocross on a regular basis at the age of 8 and continued through age 12. Our family spent a lot of time watching Harley grow up on the moto track. We traveled from Iowa, to Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Harley’s love of riding was a way of life to him. He was an avid rider and had many accomplishments in his motocross career. As Harley got older, Harley also came to love snowmobiling. You could find Harley on the river or in Jamaica on any given snow day eating pizza and drinking lemonade or A&W Rootbeer. He enjoyed his snowmobile trips to the mountains and Wisconsin trying out the fresh powder. We’re sure he’s going “Mach Jesus” up in Heaven. In the summer months, Harley enjoyed spending time at the cabin by the river hanging out with his friends. The cabin had become Harley’s piece of Heaven, a place for him to forget about his problems and just be the free-spirited kid that he was.
Harley was a friend to anyone he met. He knew no stranger and had a heart of gold. He loved babies, kids, and taking care of Grandpa Dale. His contagious personality was as big and beautiful as his smile. Harley will be missed by many and remembered by all.
Harley is survived by his parents Marty and Nina McDonald of Scranton; three sisters: Briella and Jerzee McDonald at home; Bailey Monthei of Coon Rapids; his maternal grandparents: Jeff Ford of Churdan and JoDee (Mike) Glover of Churdan; his paternal grandmother: Gayla Hudson; one aunt Nicki Montes of Gowrie; two uncles: Dusty McDonald of Scranton and Nolan Ford of Emmetsburg; and 2 cousins: Talon McDonald and Stormy Montes; 2 great-grandmothers: Janice Ford and Ilene Cooklin; a great-grandfather: Lee Phillips (Luella), as well as many other friends and family.
Harley was preceded in death by his grandfather Dale McDonald in 2020, his uncle Casey Ford in 2013, his great-grandfathers Donny Ford and Ralph Cooklin, his great-grandmother Julie Gooch.
