Michael John Harnan

Michael John Harnan, age 71, of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, passed into eternal life on June 22, 2025, at 10:30 p.m. at Taylor House Hospice after a battle with cancer.

Mike was born on April 24, 1954, in Denver, Colorado, to William and Bonita (Bremer) Harnan. After his father’s military service, the family lived in Grand Island, Ord, and O’Neill, Nebraska, before settling in Columbus, Nebraska, where Mike excelled in instrumental music as a tuba player. He was a member of the All-State High School Band for two years and the All-State High School Orchestra for one year. He graduated from Columbus High School in 1972 and went on to graduate from Wayne State College in 1976 with a degree in music education.

Mike was united in marriage with Janel Katherine Soukup on December 28, 1974, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in North Bend, Nebraska. God blessed their marriage with two children, Brenda and William.

After moving to Pleasant Hill, Iowa, in 1982, Mike and the family became members of Grand View Lutheran Church, where he and Janel sang in the Chancel Choir and were founding members of the Grand View Brass group, which continues to this day. Mike became Director of the Chancel Choir in 1994, serving until his first retirement in 2018. During that time, the Grand View Chamber Ensemble was also founded. After dealing with some health issues, Mike returned as Director of the Chancel Choir, serving again from 2022 to 2025.

In 1998, Mike served as the founding director of the Union Park Ministerial Association with the goal of establishing a Thanksgiving service and a spring concert that would rotate from church to church. He retired from this position in March 2025.

Mike was also the leader of a group of eight Des Moines Lutheran Church choir directors and founding director of the Northeast Lutheran Cluster Combined Choir, serving from 2002 to 2019.

When their children joined the Iowa Youth Chorus, Mike and Janel were chaperones on several regional trips as well as international competitions, including the World Choir Olympics in Bremen, Germany, where the chorus won silver medals in two categories. The chorus also earned silver medals and a seventh-place finish—just eight points from first place out of 17 choirs—in an international competition in Llangollen, Wales. IYC was also featured as an Artist in Residence during a trip to Guatemala and El Salvador.

Mike's other interests included genealogy and NASCAR. Prior to retirement, he worked in tire sales for 17 years at Freedom Tire in Des Moines and, before that, for 15 years at Montgomery Ward.

Mike is survived by his daughter, Brenda (James) Harnan Sandler of Des Moines, IA; his son, William (Melissa) Harnan of Altoona, IA; and his brother, Scott (Sarah Edwards) Harnan of Des Moines, IA. He is also survived by extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Bonita; his wife, Janel; his brother, Mark; and his brother-in-law, Russell Soukup.

Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines, IA. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 30, at Grand View Lutheran Church, 2930 East 13th Street, Des Moines, IA.

Memorials may be directed to Grand View Lutheran Church, 2930 East 13th Street, Des Moines, IA 50316.

Print