Ann Lynnell Harklau Thye

“Love Beauty, it is the shadow of God in the Universe.” - Gabriela Mistral

Ann Lynnell Harklau Thye was born November 25, 1957 in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Ellis and Mary (Anderson) Harklau of Gowrie, Iowa. She succumbed to glioblastoma tumors in her brain on January 12, 2025. She was surrounded by her family at the time of her death. She now walks with the saints.

Ann was one who always recognized the God-given gift of beauty in its many forms. It was her deepest desire to create and share beauty for others to experience. This remains her legacy to us. As a child, she would gather plants and flowers from the pastures and the farmstead near Gowrie and arrange them in the house. She learned from her mother and grandmother to create beauty with fabric and clothing. She enjoyed setting a fine table for a meal with family, friends and even Celtic musicians from Europe and Canada. She instilled a love of art with her sons, inspiring their professional career paths as artists. She worked tirelessly to enable hundreds of students at DMACC and at Iowa State University to see and to create beauty for many others all across the world. Her work with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) Global Missions and with the Lutheran Social Services Refugee Advisory Board reflected her recognition of the beauty from the dignity inherent in the diversity of all people. Lastly, her love for all of the arts was her way of honoring the beauty of the human experience. This was noted by her frequent outings to the Des Moines Art Center, the Des Moines Symphony, the Des Moines Metro Opera and the Varsity Cinema. One of her greatest joys was sharing the beauty of art and performance with others.

Ann attended Prairie Community Schools in Gowrie, Iowa and she graduated in 1976. She was active in 4-H in Webster County and at the state level here in Iowa. She was a Webster County Fair Queen in 1975 and she was in competition for the Iowa State Fair Queen that year. Ann continued her connections with 4-H as a judge for visual arts, communications, home improvement and clothing at several county fairs and ay the Iowa State Fair.

Ann married Dale Thye on August 19, 1978. They had 2 sons, Kyle in 1985 and Justin in 1987. Dale died suddenly on December 18, 1998. Ann carried on with her professional life and with the raising of her sons after his death.

Ann attended Iowa State University and graduated with a degree in Textiles and Clothing in 1980. Her study led her to begin her professional career with the Paul Harris clothing stores, starting as an intern in 1979, eventually becoming a senior store manager and a corporate training manager. After leaving Paul Harris, she continued with a 15-year tenure with Longaberger, developing a network of lifelong business partners and close friends.

Ann returned to the academic world as an instructor at DMACC and then as an academic advisor at Iowa State University in Apparel Merchandising and Design. For 18 years, she worked with hundreds of students and interns in the fashion and clothing industry both in the US and overseas. She maintained close ties to several study abroad programs in Europe. Many Iowa State alumni, faculty and business contacts within the apparel & fashion world credit Ann directly for their success. Ann was particularly proud of her student’s work with TREND magazine and she was also proud of the many Iowa State students who won scholarships from the Young Men’s Association Fashion Scholarship Fund in New York City. She led study trips to New York City, Los Angeles, and other locations in the United States each year. Her study abroad work required her to travel to London, Florence, Paris, Glasgow and Taipei. Even after her retirement from Iowa State, she continued her connections with alumni and business partners to help them with career advice. It was said that making connections was one of her many “super-powers.”

Ann had been an active member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Ankeny for over 40 years. Ann sang in the contemporary choir and she & her husband Dale led the youth group for several years at Holy Trinity. Ann also took part in ELCA Global Mission events as a part of the SE Iowa Synod Global Missions Team and she took mission trips to Namibia and to Usangi, Tanzania to support the work of the Lutheran ministries there. Through the auspices of the Woman-to-Woman Exchange and speaker’s Bureau, she educated many about the challenges faced by the people whom she encountered on her travels in Namibia and South Africa. She hosted many African guests while they were in Iowa for study, work & travel. Ann was active with the Women of the ELCA and served on committees at the congregational and synod level over the many years of her membership at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.

Ann married Brian Smith on June 20, 2020, completing her family with Brian and his daughters Anne and Bridget. Ann & Brian settled in the Waveland Park neighborhood in Des Moines, where Ann joined the leadership of the Waveland Park Neighborhood Association to enhance the life of their neighbors. She continued her leadership of nearly 20 years on the Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery Board and was on the Board with the Celtic Music Association until her health would no longer permit it.

Ann is survived by her husband, Brian Smith of Des Moines; her parents, Ellis and Mary Harklau of Fort Dodge, Iowa; brother Steve Harklau and his wife Lisa Marquis of Celina, Texas; sons Kyle Thye and his wife Kira Thye of Des Moines, Iowa; Justin Thye & his significant other Michelle Boulos of Los Angeles, California; daughters Anne McLaughlin-Smith of Cedar Rapids and Bridget McLaughlin-Smith of Des Moines, Iowa; nieces Sydney Harklau of Celina, Texas, Jordan Harklau of Dallas, Texas and grandson Roscoe Thye of Des Moines.

Visitation and the funeral services will be held at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 517 SW Des Moines St, Ankeny, Iowa 50023. Visitation with the family will be from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm on the evening of Friday, January 17. The funeral service will be at 11 AM on Saturday, January 18. The funeral service will be live-streamed via the Holy Trinity YouTube channel. A luncheon will follow the funeral service. Commendation and burial will be at a later date at the Highland Memory Gardens cemetery.

Memorials may be made to:
The Holy Trinity Lutheran Church of Ankeny Care and Community Memorial Fund
Lutheran Services in Iowa Immigrant and Refugee Community Services
Highland Memory Gardens
Iowa State University Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising

Online condolences may be expressed at www.hamiltonsfuneralhome.com

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