Colleen F Harmon

Colleen F. Harmon, 93, of Marshalltown, passed away on Thursday, February 16, 2023 at The Willows of Marshalltown. Memorial services for Colleen will be held on Friday, February 24, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Visitation will be on Thursday, February 23, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. also at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to St. Croix Hospice.

Colleen F. Bachman was born on August 24, 1929 at her grandmother’s home in rural Whitten, Iowa, the daughter of Icle Glen and Flossie (Long) Bachman. She graduated from Eldora High School in 1946 and obtained her BA from the University of Northern Iowa. She was united in marriage to Ellis Harmon on February 19, 1950 at the Albion Methodist Church.

Colleen started her teaching career at just 17 years old. Through the years she taught in many central Iowa schools including Marshalltown and finished her formal teaching at Hockaday School for Girls in Dallas, Texas. But aside from schools, Colleen involved herself in many other teaching venues including tutoring and with the “Hands-on Equations” organization during which time she flew all across the country training other teachers in this particular system for teaching math to kids. She was a volunteer with Iowa River Hospice in Marshalltown and was named Volunteer of the Year in 2000. She enjoyed traveling and took many trips to Europe, visiting several different countries.

Colleen loved life, children and family, but above all the love of her life, her husband of 72 years, Ellis. The two of them always had fun on their vacations. They enjoyed several cruises from Alaska to the Caribbean, spent many summers on their Mississippi River houseboat, several winters in the Florida Keys, and, in the early years, at the lakes of Minnesota.

Colleen is survived by: her children Barb Matney of Albion, Joan Heinle of Whiting, and Paul (Cindy) Harmon of Carrollton, Texas; grandchildren Kelly Anderson, Kim Anderson, Kerensa (JR) Reiss, Stephanie Anderson, Jill (DJ) King, Michael (Jen) Anderson and Ashley (Drew) Gage; 17 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren; her sister Kayann Lowry of Marshalltown; sister-in-law Bonnie Harmon of Texas and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.

She is preceded in death by her husband Ellis, her parents, sister Barbara Mae in childhood, brothers-in-law Bud Lowry, Wendell Harmon and Ernie Groff, sister-in-law Alice Groff, and son-in-law Roger Heinle.

For more information or to send a condolence, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234.