Harry Edgar Crist, beloved father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully in his home in Collierville, TN on September 1, 2022. He was 91 years old. Harry was born January 4, 1931 in Letts, Iowa, son of George Isaac and Mary Evelyn Crist.
In addition to his parents, Harry was predeceased by his wife Sharon. He is survived by his son Todd (Janelle) of Germantown ,TN; son Seth (Debra) of Beaverton,OR; daughter Amy of Coralville, IA; daughter Polly of Portland, OR; son Elijah (Leah) of Abington, MA; and six grandchildren Logan, Jenna, Keegan, Stephanie, Jackson, and Isabelle. Harry also had many friends, to include the wonderful Janet Specht, cousins, and caregivers who will miss him greatly.
Harry Crist graduated from Parsons College in Fairfield, IA in 1953 with a Liberal Arts Degree and a Secondary Teachers Certificate. Following graduation, he entered the US. Army and was assigned to work as an Education Specialist, spending the majority of his time in service at Fort Ritchie, Maryland. After discharge in 1955, Harry spent the next twenty-seven years operating a livestock feeding and general farming operation near Columbus Junction, IA.
Harry married Sharon Cochran on March 11, 1961, in Des Moines, IA. Together they raised 5 children while operating a very successful farm until the farm crisis of the 1980’s. Because of the poor farm economy, Harry changed focus and opened a commodities office, working as a broker for several years until his dream job opened up in 1985. Because of his farming and commodities experience and his down-home, easy-going nature, he was the ideal candidate to become a farm fraud investigator for the Iowa Attorney General’s office. He investigated elaborate scams, helped prepare cases for litigation, and sometimes posed as an innocent, naïve victim in order to incriminate con artists.
He had many great stories about his days as an investigator; In fact he had many great stories about everything from fishing to farming! Harry was a people person. He could talk to anyone and often did. We will all miss his playful nature, sense of humor, and charm.
A celebration of his life will held in the chapel of the Collierville Funeral Home --534 W. Poplar Ave.--on Sunday, September 11 at 2:00pm. Visitation will be preceding it at 1pm.
