Reverend Harlan Walter Winter

Rev. Harlan Winter, a retired Iowa United Methodist Church minister, met his Savior on July 9, 2026, at Walnut Ridge Care Facility in Clive, Iowa, after a long battle with dementia. Even though he couldn’t always form words when he was still at home, he could still begin prayers at mealtime, and even in his last days, he was still able to kiss his wife.

Harlan was born to Rev. Walter and Wanda Winter on Oct. 15, 1937, in Waterloo, Iowa, where his father was the pastor at the Evangelical Church in LaPorte City, Iowa. His next residence was at Dumont, Iowa, where he attended grade school. He began 7th grade at Story City, Iowa, and graduated from high school there. He graduated from Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa, in 1959.

He attended Evangelical Theological Seminary (ETS) in Naperville, Illinois, earning his Masters in Theology degree in 1963. In 1963, he married Norma Kaye Deaver in Cedar Rapids.

Harlan served Aredale Evangelical United Brethren Church and Bristow Evangelical United Brethren Church (1963-1967), Hudson United Methodist Church (1967-1975), United Church of Crawfordsville (1975-1984), Altoona United Methodist Church (1984-1993), Trinity United Church of Christ in Marengo (1993-1994), a three-point charge of Douds, Lebanon, and Selma (1994-1998), and a three-point charge at Wapello, Oakville, and Morning Sun, where he retired (1998-2005). In 2016, he moved to Ankeny with Sandra (Sandy) Jean Harris whom he married in 1997.

Harlan had a heart for the ministry. He was up before sunrise, reading his Bible, writing his sermons, and mentally preparing for the day. Since he mostly served in small towns, he would drive hours to visit people in the hospital and return home for church meetings at night. He would answer every call, regardless if it was during dinner or if it was late at night. While at Crawfordsville, the congregation tore down the Presbyterian and United Methodist Church and built a brand-new building: The United Church of Crawfordsville. It was a great tribute to God for a town of less than 300 people. He truly felt that being a minister was his calling and found his work exhausting but fulfilling, as he helped people find peace in their darkest hours and celebrate God’s goodness throughout their lives.

Music played an important part of his life. While at Westmar, he was privileged to be a part of The Marletiers, an acapella men’s quartet which in the summer months toured in a five-state area on behalf of Westmar College. He directed church choirs in many of the churches he served and occasionally performed programs called “sermon and songs,” where he sang songs that supported a central message of God’s grace and love. Even as a spectator, Harlan would sit through a service or musical performance and silently direct from his seat.

Working with youth was his passion. While he was in seminary, he was youth and choir director at Oswego Methodist Church in Oswego, Illinois. In Crawfordsville and Altoona, he led the youth group, directed youth cantatas, played games to get the youth involved, took youth groups to care facilities to present programs, attended school events for his own children and those within the church, walked in Hunger Hikes with them, etc. In Wapello, he and Sandy started a puppet ministry where Sandy would choose songs, and he would write the script for the puppeteers to perform. He tried to have a mix of humor, fun, and spirituality to help youth in their walk with Christ.

Photography was also a passion area of his. Before cell phones, he invested in equipment to get great shots of sporting events, musical performances, and nature scenes which he often shared with the community. He educated himself and took time to compose pictures. In his later years, when it was difficult for him to walk, Sandy would drive him to Saylorville or Big Creek where he would take pictures of the deer, pelicans, and eagles.

Riverview Park (now known as Riverview Ministries) in Cedar Falls was a special place for him. In 1916, his father and a few other men looked out on the pasture and felt that it would be a good place to establish a campground, which ultimately included cabins, a chapel, a tabernacle, and Missionary Hall where ministers and their family could come together to take part in spiritual renewal. Harlan accepted his call to ministry there. He owned two cabins there where his family created memories by having family reunions, going to the pool, attending Bible school, celebrating birthdays, grilling, eating sweet corn, and singing hymns, many of which were sung by music therapist, Sarah Braverman from St. Croix Hospice, to Harlan during his final days.

Harlan is survived by his wife Sandy Winter of Ankeny; daughter Sharla (Dean) Walter of Altoona; daughter Trisha (Darin) Johnson of Ames; step-children Kirsten (Steve) Smith of Ankeny and Matt Hemphill (Karen Wentzke) of Black Diamond, Washington. Grandchildren include Mitchell McCloud of Des Moines, Kaelyn McCloud of Des Moines, Xavier Johnson of Des Moines, Kai Johnson of Iowa City, Kira Smith of Ankeny, and Kaimelelani Hemphill of Black Diamond, Washington. He is also survived by his sister, Lavonne Frandsen, of Story City.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers-in-law Carroll Frandson and Jack Frandsen, and a nephew Donald Frandson.

The family would like to thank the wonderful workers from St. Croix Hospice and Walnut Ridge Care Facility in Clive who reminded them that there are good people in this world who treat the elderly and their family with dignity in such a confusing time.

Before Harlan and Sandy moved to Ankeny, he wrote a timeline of his life and concluded it with, “I have discovered once again how fortunate I have been that God could use the meager talents of a bashful boy for His purposes. I give Him and many who have helped along the way heartfelt thanks for God’s goodness and grace.”

Family will greet guests on Thursday, July 16, 2026, from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., at Ankeny First United Methodist Church, 206 SW Walnut, Ankeny, Iowa. A funeral service will follow visitation at 11:00 a.m., at the church.

A graveside service will take place on Friday, July 17, 2026 at 10:30 a.m., at Greenwood Cemetery, 404 N College St, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com

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