Harlan Joseph Quamme, 73, a second-generation American of Norwegian-Swedish descent, died Oct. 9, 2009, in Peachtree City, after a courageous 18-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. He was the eldest son, born 26 March 1936, to the late Joseph Hanson Quamme (née Kvamme) and Grace Marie Carlson in Minneapolis, Minn. Harlan graduated from Edison High School in Minneapolis. While still in high school, he joined the Minnesota Air Guard and worked fueling aircraft. Later he left the University of Minnesota to enter the U.S. Air Force cadet program where he graduated No. 1 in his class. The Air Force took Harlan to Spence Field near Moultrie, where he met his future wife, Frankie Jane Collins. Harlan was an imaginative child, especially fascinated by airplanes. Flying became his lifelong passion. On St. Patrick’s Day 1958, in a dusty field in West Texas, he soloed in a jet. Later that year, Harlan married the love of his life in a small family church in South Georgia. He graduated from Iowa State University. Saint Patrick stayed with him throughout the years and allowed him to become an old pilot in spite of his efforts to be a bold pilot. In his aviation career, Hal counted two more take-offs than landings. He won the Caterpillar Award twice for ejecting out of a jet with a safe parachute landing. His first ejection occurred on 19 December 1961, from an F-86L near Des Moines, Iowa, as he was following his leader in inclement weather. His second ejection occurred on 16 March 1969, while at his dream job at Lockheed Aircraft as an engineering test pilot: a mechanical failure with Lockheed’s experimental Hummingbird aircraft (XV-4B) prompted another bailout near Dallas, Ga. After turning down a regular commission in the U.S. Air Force, Harlan returned to the Minnesota Guard and University of Minnesota. Harlan felt a deep obligation to our country for the great opportunities provided to him; he served in guard units in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Georgia until retiring from the 315th Military Air Wing (MAW) in Charleston, S.C. as lieutenant colonel in August 1986. He earned an MBA at Georgia State University and was later with the Federal Aviation Administration as Air Carrier Inspector for 10 years. At 50, he became a pilot for United Airlines. Parkinson’s Disease forced his medical retirement after 10 years with United. He and Frankie moved to Lake Hartwell to sit by the lake, looking at the sky and wishing all Godspeed. Harlan battled “the bad guy named Parkinson’s” for two decades with courage and determination. He doesn’t recommend it. “Darlin’ Harlan,” as he would introduce himself at times, was incapable of taking himself or anyone else too seriously. He loved fast cars, fireworks, model airplanes, movies, any number of sweets — and was thrilled when people noted that he looked like Benny Hill. If you knew him, you know that had he written his own obituary, this would have been much longer… His favorite pastime was talking, and he would love if you would sit quietly while he spent four hours describing a 90-minute movie. His irreverent wit never failed him or us, even in the most difficult times. Harlan not only supported a wife and four children, but opened his home and heart to a Danish exchange student, Dorte Jensen Staunstrup, which became a lifelong friendship for both families. His devilish smile masked a brilliant mind and big heart — Harlan truly enjoyed people and spent his life traveling the world and learning from them. He will be missed. Survivors include his wife Frankie Jane (née Collins) Quamme, Peachtree City; a daughter Colleen M. Swartsenburg, Peachtree City; a son Scott and Cindy Quamme, Peachtree City; a daughter Carolyn and Tim Shirey, Fayetteville; a daughter Kim and Rich Miller, Peachtree City; grandchildren Rachel, Jonathan, Joshua, and Rebekah Shirey, Fayetteville, Zachary, Eric and Karissa Quamme, Peachtree City, Owen, Evan and Lauren Miller, Peachtree City; a sister Sonja Larkin, Loveland, Colo.; a sister Norma and Denny Munson, Wyoming, Minn.; a brother Glenn and Patrice Olander-Quamme, Plymouth, Minn.; an uncle, Jacob Kvamme, Bergen, Norway; and a host of other relatives. Visitation will be held Sunday Oct. 11, 2009 from 2 to 4 at Mowell Funeral Home, Peachtree City. Funeral Services will be held Monday Oct. 12, 2009 at 11 at First Baptist Church, Peachtree City. Interment will be Tuesday Oct. 13, 2009 at 10 at Magnolia Baptist Church, Whigham, where Harlan and Frankie were married 51 years ago. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made to First Baptist Church Peachtree City Bridge, 208 Willowbend Road, Peachtree City, Ga. 30269, Parkinson Disease Research, Emory University Office of Gifts and Records, 1762 Clifton Road, Decatur, Ga. 30322 or the Magnolia Baptist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 377, Whigham, Ga. 39897. Guests may sign the online register at www.clarkfuneral.com. — Clark Funeral Home