Harley Edward Wahl

Harley Wahl passed away peacefully on September 7th, 2025, at the age of 94. Born in Chicago, Harley was raised in Oak Park, Illinois, by his parents, who he loved dearly, Harley and Pearl Wahl. He graduated from Oak Park high school after which he attended General Motors Institute in Michigan graduating with a degree in engineering.

He is survived by his wife of over 42 years, Fran Wahl. His son Thomas Wahl, wife Louisa and children Joseph, Abigail, and George; son Joseph Wahl, wife Lucy, kids Halee and Peyton; daughter Michelle, and son Larry; Kathy and Mohsen Injenari, Mitra Injenari and husband Adam Messner; Donli Overfelt, Clarence Overholtzer jr (deceased) and wife Ruby, Travis Overholtzer and wife Kristina, Matt Overholtzer and wife Jenny, kids Lane and Paige, Katie and husband Tyler Walker, daughter Aubrey.

As a young boy in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago, Harley contracted an ear disease that made him deaf in his left ear. On doctor’s advice, his parents moved him to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in the mid-1930s where he went to grade school at St. Anthony Catholic School. He had vivid memories and many stories of the events during his time there, which was leading up to and during the World War II era.

Harley Wahl was a man from the “old school”, as they say. He believed in hard work, honesty, and doing every task the right way. He loved chain sawing and chopping wood on his beautiful farm in Clinton County, Missouri, and would heat his house with 10 cords of wood per year.

A master engineer and mechanic, Harley Wahl never encountered an engine or electric motor that he could not fix. Whenever a neighbor came over to ask his help or advice on fixing a machine, he would never say no and always solved the problem. That is who he was.

Harley loved animals. Over the years he raised and had horses, cattle (Herford was his preferred breed), chickens, peacocks, guineas, pigs, lamas, and other interesting animals.

Harley enjoyed life more than anyone we have ever known. He could always be found tinkering with anything mechanical, working on the farm, or flying his airplane.

Harley was a very good pilot. His first airplane was a Taylorcraft, which he enjoyed flying around the Chicago area. His last airplane was a Cessna 182 which he enjoyed flying near his farm in Missouri as well as throughout the San Jaun mountains in southwestern Colorado. He has a certificate for landing at the highest elevation airport in the North America, at Leadville airport in Colorado…an achievement he was very proud of.

He was always there to lend a helping hand, and it usually had a tool of some sort in it. There was nothing he could not fix. No broken-down machine stood a chance against him.

Harley worked for Ford Motor Company for almost 30 years as a heavy truck service engineer.

He was never one to sit in a chair and watch TV, he worked on something or another every day he could. If the weather was too bad, he would be helping Fran with a project in the house or in the basement, tinkering.

Harley was a deeply religious man that firmly believed in God and the power of prayer. He had several stories that he told that if God was not by his side watching out for his safety, he would have been gone many years ago. Such is life on the farm.

A memorial visitation will be held from 4:00-6:00pm Thursday, September 11, 2025 at Park Lawn Northland Chapel (1640 Route 291 Highway, Liberty, Mo 64068)  

He touched the heart of everyone he ever met. He will always be remembered and greatly missed.