“We are sad to announce the death of Harry Olmstead, a member and past clerk of Iowa City Friends Meeting. Harry was a lifelong advocate for people with disabilities. He will be missed by the Iowa City community.”
Harry Fitch Olmstead III was born April 2, 1950, in Norwalk, CT, the only child of Harry Fitch Olmstead Jr. and Harlena Mildred Olmstead (nee Bolton). He was born with a rare disease and doctors said he wouldn’t live past infancy. He beat the odds and lived until age 71. In high school (Brian McMahon High, 1969), he discovered his passions: the Quaker faith, photography, and progressive politics. For college, he went to UW-Milwaukee (1976, BS in recreational therapy). While there, he founded Boy Scout troop 37, which was specifically for differently-abled young men. In 1973, his daughter was born. His career in the boy scouts moved him to Illinois where his son was born in 1978. Then to Michigan in 1980, where he was involved with Quaker Meeting and politics, working to end apartheid in South Africa. In 1992, he joined Teach for America and went to Los Angeles. Through them, he taught in Louisiana and later in Alabama where he finished his Master’s degree. In Alabama, an infection from surgery forced his leg to be amputated. This led to his focus on disability rights. In 2009, he moved to Iowa City. He continued his political activism until his health got the better of him. He passed peacefully with his daughter at his side in Des Moines, IA on July 2, 2021. Harry was a great asset to every community he lived in, always being a voice for the voiceless. He won many awards for his tireless volunteer work, too many to name here. He is survived by his daughter, Heather Fitch Olmstead Hall Sylaj (Sadik), and his son Harry Fitch Olmstead IV. His family would like to thank the staff of the Cardiac Critical Care Unit at MercyOne Medical in Des Moines for their compassion and care. They would also like to thank Mayor Bruce Teague, Shawn Harmsen, and David McCartney for always being there for him. Thank you to Barb Stein for all she did for him and the family. Due to coronavirus and distance/time constraints, there will not be an in-person memorial. In lieu of flowers, cards/donations can be sent to the family to help with end-of-life expenses at: Heather Sylaj PO Box #5 Chilton, WI 53014.