Harlan L. Levorson

Harlan L. Levorson, 88, of Lake Mills, IA, died Monday, July 10, 2023 at the Lake Mills Care Center in Lake Mills, IA.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 am, Thursday, July 13, 2023 at Lake Mills Synod Lutheran Church, 107 N. 1st Ave. E. in Lake Mills, with Pastor Glenn Smith officiating.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.
Burial will take place at Lake Mills Synod Lutheran Cemetery in Lake Mills, with lunch following.
Harlan L. Levorson was born in Lake Mills, IA, the son of Ingvald and Adella (Peterson) Levorson, June 5, 1935. He was baptized and confirmed at the Lake Mills Synod Lutheran Church, where he was a lifetime member. He graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1954.
After high school, Harlan attended Hamilton Business School and then ventured west to California in his early 20s. He enjoyed an active life of skiing in the mountains as well as enjoying the Southern California weather. At the young age of 26, Harlan had a cardiac event and received a Starr Edwards Mechanical Aortic Valve in Long Beach, CA in 1963. Harlan was the last patient living with this type of aortic valve – always "The Wonder Boy" when attending his regular cardiac appointments, letting any and all listen to this 60-year-old device in his chest.
Harlan returned to Iowa and joined his father, Ingvald Levorson, building barns, homes and other carpentry projects around Lake Mills.
He was active in his church and enjoyed singing in the choir. Being a proud Norwegian, and with the love of travel in his heart, Harlan took several trips to Norway. He collected Ford Model T cars and Cushman motorcycles. He loved to talk about vehicles of all types – trucks, cars, tractors, racing – anything with a motor.
In 1991, Harlan's world changed. He took Ramona (Mona) Erdahl for a ride on his motorcycle and 2 years later the 57-year-old bachelor married into a family of 4 adult children with spouses, and 9 grandchildren, which would grow to 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Grandpa Harlan and Grandma Mona would travel near and far to support the kids' activities from sports, music, speech, plays, baptisms, graduations, and weddings. He was willing to join in, too, from winter sledding, skiing, kayaking down the river, or putt-putt golf.
Harlan and Mona married on February 13, 1993 and continued to share 30 years of their love of dancing at The Surf Ballroom and the Eagles Club, camping (including our annual Wacky Waseca tradition), travel from Alaska to Hawaii – checking off their must-see sites together, and sitting on their front deck watching all of the activities of the swimming pool, school and parks.
In October 2022, Harlan transitioned into Hospice - first at Britt and then moved to the Lake Mills Care Center, surrendering to a heart that had given all that it could. The Staff said he was known to be kind, quiet, and always first to raise his hand for a van ride with Arnie.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Lawrence Levorson, oldest sister, Virginia Levorson, and brother-in-law, Phillip Peterson.
Harlan is survived by his wife, Ramona, sister, Norma Peterson, sister-in-law, Anita (Levorson) Schrieber and brother-in-law, Neil Schrieber, all of Lake Mills, IA; nephew, Duane Peterson of Wichita Falls, TX; nieces, Carole Knighton of The Villages, FL; Laura-Marie Levorson Rueslåtten of Oslo, Norway; Ramona's family: Perry (Kay) Erdahl, Gina (Brett), Theo, Ellyn, Jake (Nikki), Wyatt; Ramon (Kaylene) Erdahl, Clark, Toni (Chris), Roman, Mosley, Sam, Hallie; Rita Erdahl (and Mike Biddle), Andy (Michelle), Keenan, Jon (Stacy), Caleb, Liam, Josi (Justin), Bria, Dominic, Michael; Patty (Tod) Kumbera, Chelsea, Ethan (Ally), and Rylee.
The family wishes to express a special thank you to the Westview Care Center, the Lake Mills Care Center and Hospice of North Iowa for their quality of care provided to Harlan.