Harold William Carlson

Harold William Carlson, age 89 1/2 of Indianola, passed away at home surrounded by his loving family on March 15, 2026.

Harold was born on July 8, 1936, to Irvin and Ruby (Hayhurst) Carlson. He grew up in Iowa and graduated from Cambria High School in 1954. After graduation he enlisted in the United States Marines Corps where he proudly served his country for 3 years. He was a machine gunner, expert marksman, and carried one half of a 50-caliber water-cooled machine gun. After his honorable discharge in 1957, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona where he became a police officer. Shortly thereafter he met the love of his life, Barbara Ann Alexander. They married in 1962 and eventually moved back to rural Corydon, Iowa where they farmed for many years. In 1984, nearly 9 months to the day after he helped place the cross on a new church in Seymour, Iowa, they were blessed with their only child, Hallie Ann.

Harold's career as a semi driver required the family to move several times over the years as he drove for different companies. In 1993 Harold's beloved wife Barb tragically passed away following a long battle with cancer. To spend as much time as possible with his daughter Hallie, he drove a week-on, week-off schedule for Wal-Mart. He retired from truck driving in 2000, which enabled him to be home with Hallie who was still in high school. After "retiring," he farmed north of Corydon, eventually moving north to be closer to Hallie after she graduated from college. He moved in with Hallie and her family in 2018, and they were blessed to be able to have him at home with them until his passing.

Harold loved the outdoors and always had a task at hand. He loved growing things and beautifying the landscape. He possessed a wealth of information about plants, flowers, trees, and birds. He enjoyed gardening and in his later years mowing as a way to both be outdoors and to help Hallie and her family. Whenever she started a tractor or mower, he would quickly be out to take over.

Harold enjoyed visiting with small groups of family and friends. He was scrupulously honest, kind, caring, thoughtful, helpful, and a wonderful listener. He was very hard-working, and always put his family's wants and needs before his own. Harold never failed to admonish Hallie to "remember who you are,' and "be careful" when she left the house. His often quiet sense of humor was often a source of merriment, and he and Hallie shared many inside jokes. He always picked the first wildflowers of spring for Barb, and later for Hallie. He doted on his twin grandsons, often telling them of his pride in them and how they were the light of his life. They were blessed to have him in their lives for 10 years.

He is survived by his daughter, Hallie, grandsons Jayse and Callan, Hallie's boyfriend John who was invaluable in Harold's last months, and a host of family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife Barbara; brother Irvin, sister Norma Montgomery, and brother-in-law and sister Stan and Eileen Fountas.

There will be a Celebration of Life Gathering with an Ice Cream Social at Simplify Cremations and Funerals on Saturday, April 4, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. The family invites you to stop by. We will be observing Marine Military Honors at 10:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, please direct donations in Harold's memory to National Honor Flight Network, or to your local American Legion.