Harrold Wayne Annett

Harrold Wayne Annett

Des Moines - The family of Harrold Wayne Annett is sad to announce his passing on March 1st of 2021. Harrold succumbed to a rare disease called Guillain Barre Syndrome with complications from pneumonia.

Harrold lived a full life devoting himself to work and family. His marriage to his wife Deborah of 38 years was filled with passion, adventure, and a life full of travel spending time with friends and family.

Harrold enjoyed many things in his life. He owned the Number 12 Mickow Sprinter Sprint Car from 1976 to 1983 where Mike Brooks from Knoxville drove at the Knoxville Raceway every Saturday for several years. One of the most memorable nights in 1980 was when Mike, while qualifying for the Nationals won his heat race, the A main and set a new track record of 20.220 seconds becoming the first driver in history to score the 500 maximum available points. The addition of Toby Lawless, AKA, The American Dream, drove the number 12 Mickow Sprinter 360 series in 1986 where literally every race made you about pass out from excitement. The races were always the pinnacle of the week but working on the cars throughout the week was nothing short of the huge family reunion every night at the sprint car building located on the TMC property.

Harrold still had a passion for racing and opened a bicycle shop off Fleur Drive called Des Moines Bicycle (DMB). Harrold built an outdoor BMX track on the current TMC facility (it was vacant land then) and held races every weekend He then rented the 4H building in the winter so all the kids around the State could race inside. The DMB team travelled all over the country included Toby Lawless, Mike Last and Son's Jason Webb and Tim Annett. Harrold drove 1000's of miles traveling to all these BMX races and the team collected hundreds of trophies along the way. The team eventually got tired of listening to the 8 track cassettes that consisted of Kenny Rogers, Crystal Gayle and Loretta Lynn and Harrold wanted to get back into sprint car racing in 1984. The countless friendships he was able to make during these years were just incredible including when he met his future wife, Debbie, at one of the races and his life was forever changed.

As the bike shop and BMX chapters came to an end Harrold had visions of taking his own sprint car team to the national level. Harrold never thought in a million years that Sammy Swindell would take a chance on him, but they met and a magical friendship ensued. Sammy and Harrold would unleash the fury on the World of Outlaws in 1986 and accumulate 35 victories in their partnership over a four-year period.

After sprint cars, Harrold had another passion which had been dormant for 30 years and that was The Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. He and Debbie first bought a condo and then a boat in 1994. But he was not entirely fulfilled. So, he partnered with one of his best friends, Larry Clark, who also happened to be the CFO at TMC and the two started a large project called Evergreen Condominium's. After completion, they still had the passion to keep going and went into an even larger condominium project called SummerPlace where the two of them ultimately built their own houses right next to each other.

Harrold was so proud of these 2 projects and remained very close to the builder, Dan Linn and Rod Neuman with Thomas Construction until the time of his death.

Harrold's focus and number one priority has always been his pride and joy, TMC transportation. He loved his work, loved the people he worked with and ultimately built it into one of the largest and most successful trucking companies in the country. Harrold was a very generous man and always took care of the people who made him and the company the success it is today. His lifelong passion will continue well after his passing with all the lessons he taught us.

How do you measure a man's legacy?

By the family and friends he leaves behind and the memories that will last forever.

Surviving his death are his wife Debbie of 38 years, Toby Lawless (Janice), Tim Annett (Brenda), Todd Annett (Amy), Jennifer Ruble (Bob), Jason Webb (Colleen), Jaimi Webb, Emily Annett and Michael Annett.

Grand Children, Mitchell, Carter, Shelby, Nikki, Tommy, Billy, Caitlin, Dylan and Brooklyn.

Preceding him in death are his parents, Walter and Dorothy, brother Walt, sisters Joyce and Edie and Niece Cathy

Family will receive visitors this Thursday, March 4th, at the Baymont Hotel, 6221 Willow Creek Ave, Des Moines, IA from 4:00-7:00pm.

The Celebration of Life will be held Friday, March 5th, at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines, IA in the large worship center at 11:00AM. The service will be live streamed at https://hopeonline.tv/specialevents. A private family burial service will be in the Linn Grove Cemetery, rural Norwalk, IA.

The family wishes to express their gratitude for all the prayers, messages and phone calls during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Harrold's name to the Dogwood Animal Shelter, 1075 Runabout Drive, Osage Beach, MO 65065. To submit an online condolence, visit our website at www.overtonfunerals.com.