Olin Meade Pash
Olin Meade Pash was born on May 29, 1927 to Harvey R. and Mamie E. (Field) Pash in Lock Springs, Missouri. He was the youngest of 15 children. While he was an infant, the family moved to Shelby County, Iowa. In 1962 he was baptized and joined Bethel Baptist Church where he was a member until 2005 when he joined First Baptist Church in Harlan.
He attended school in the Harlan School system through the tenth grade when he left to help support the war effort by building troop ships in San Francisco Bay. In 1945 he enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theatre until the end of World War II. He returned to Harlan after the war and worked as a farmhand until he started farming on his own in 1948.
On July 21, 1948, he was united in marriage to Crystal Jenelle Petersen at her parents’ home near Harlan. She was truly the love of his life. They raised five children: Janis, Jolene, Randy, Redge and Ron.
In 1966, he bought the Oliver Farm Implement dealership and the family moved to town. He ran the business while Crystal did the bookkeeping. They bought the John Deere Dealership in 1972 and remained there until 1986 when he became manager of the Harlan Municipal Airport where he ultimately retired in 2019 at the age of 92.
Other than his family, Olie’s favorite pastimes where singing and flying. He learned to play the guitar at a young age at home and built an impressive repertoire of songs over the years. He would often provide “special music” at church whenever asked and throughout his 70’s and 80’s he would entertain at area nursing facilities where the residents delighted in his old-time and patriotic songs. He was still singing and playing his guitar into his late 90’s while a resident at Hansen House in Harlan.
Olie took his first airplane ride when he was 17. It was love at first flight. In a matter of months, he earned his private pilot’s license. Later on, he also earned his commercial, instrument, flight instructor, multi-engine and glider ratings. Over the years, he has owned over 22 airplanes. His aviation experiences include fox and coyote hunting from a Piper Cub, competition aerobatics, airshow flying, banner towing, sky writing and spin training. For thrills between flights, he also raced motorcycles until he started having children.
He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed all sports and most teams, but his favorite team by far was the Harlan Cyclones. For decades he participated in the pre-game festivities at every Harlan home football game by skywriting USA while the band played the national anthem or towing a banner with an encouraging message for the home crowd.
Olin took off for the last time peacefully on Sunday, June 28, 2026 at Hansen House Assisted Living. He had attained the age of ninety-nine years, thirty days. He was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife Crystal, his son Ron, his Grandson David Krogstad and all fourteen of his siblings: Stacy, Hazel, Ora, Truman, Edna Rhea, Lillian, Doris, Dorothy, Nelson, Leta, Lefa, Dale, Donald and Jessa.
He is survived by daughters Janis and her husband Douglas D’Arcy of Harlan, Iowa and Jolene and her husband Larry Mitchell of Atlantic, Iowa; sons Randy Pash and his wife Pat of Harlan and Redge Pash and his wife Nancy of Harlan; 17 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren; 1 great-great granddaughter; other relatives and many friends.
An 11:00 AM Funeral Service was officiated by Rev. Daniel Hawn on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at First Baptist Church in Harlan, Iowa. Adam Pash, Christopher Button, Colby Pash, April Pash, Jason Button, and Carey Texler served as casket bearers. A burial with military rites was officiated by Helmer Reyelt American Legion Post Number 150 and the United States Navy National Guard Honor Guard at Harlan Cemetery in Harlan, Iowa following the service.
Pauley Jones Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
