Harley to celebrate 109th birthday

Mrs. Harriet Tinnes Harley, currently of 3752 Thunder Ridge Road, # 123, Bettendorf, Iowa, will celebrate her 109th birthday July 27th. She has had no parties the last few years because of the virus. But she would still love to hear from old friends and family from this area.

Mrs. Harley lived alone in her own home until she was 105. Now in assisted living she remains active doing word puzzles, reading, playing Rummikub, winning at Bingo, and writing “her life story.” She has lived through World War I, the “Spanish Flu,” scarlet fever, the Great Depression, and World War II. Yet she thinks that, despite the challenges, in many ways, she has lived during the best of times. Here is some of her story:

Harriet Margaret Tinnes was born in Keokuk County near Talleyrand. She grew up on a farm there working hard, helping nurse her family through scarlet fever, and weathering the depression. She played the piano and taught Sunday school at St. Paul's Evangelical Church and led 4-H sewing classes in the area. She also served as editor of the Keota Klipper, the Keota High School paper. Mrs. Harley graduated in the class of 1931. After earning her teaching certificate at Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa, she taught all eight grades in a one-room schoolhouse heated by a potbellied stove. (Three of her "little boys" from her teaching days helped her celebrate her 100th birthday, and one still writes her. When he showed up, she recognized him immediately. So, everyone joked that he must have been really good or really bad to be so memorable!)

In 1936, she married Charles Wilton Harley of West Chester. They moved to Davenport where they owned and operated a confectionery called the Karmel Korn Shop and started a family.

When World War II broke out, all the young men in her family joined the military. She became a Navy wife and traveled around the country with her aviator husband and her two small daughters. After the war, the family returned to Davenport where she and her husband owned and operated East Locust Hardware and Building Supply for 37 years. She served as First Lady of the Iowa Retail Hardware Association during her husband's two years as president of the association. Mrs. Harley was honored a few years ago when the Bettendorf mayor declared July 27 "Harriet Harley Day."

She had two daughters: Dr. Sandra Harley Carey (Brig. Gen. J. Ronald Carey) of Canyon Lake, Texas and Linda Leanne Harley, formerly of Dahinda, Illinois. She has two granddaughters: Bekkie Huffman (Kevin Huffman) of Bettendorf and Dr. Debbie Oldenburg (Dr. Tim Kirchberg), Columbus, Wisconsin. She also has six great-grandchildren: Kisha Blunk (Austin Blunk), Kamryn Clifford (Willian), and Kelsey Huffman of Bettendorf and Turner, Tanner, and Trace Kirchberg of Columbus, Wisconsin. The newest addition to her family is a nearly-perfect great-great-grandson, Kade Blunk.