RICHARD HARSH (center) with his assistants, son Rich (left) and wife Pauletta (right), at his RE/MAX offices in downtown Owosso in 1998.
Richard had been honored as the 65th RE/MAX of Michigan Affiliate to achieve Hall of Fame designation.
(Independent File Photo/Bill Constine)
by Karen Mead-Elford, co-editor
On Friday, Sept. 28, 2001, just shy of twenty years ago, Richard William Harsh passed away. For many, this type of statement would suggest an end, but for Richard Harsh of Owosso, it symbolically represented a middle-of-the-road, stepping off juncture for his son, Rich Harsh. Many will recall Richard Harsh – artist, teacher, philanthropist, realtor – it’s a long list. Richard Harsh, known as “Bill” in his childhood as an abbreviation of his middle name, was born in Moravia, IA in 1940. Moravia is a small, farm community and the Harsh family had a sheep farm with an average of 100 to 150 head of sheep. Bill, as he was called, had two siblings – Bob and Betty. His parents were Ivan and Gladys, and apparently his mother had a preference for “B” names.
Eventually Bill became Richard. He graduated from Moravia High School in 1958, and along with his brother, they set off for Washington D.C., both joining the FBI. Richard became a well-respected cryptanalyst, working on highly classified cases. Some were historically significant cases such as the JFK assassination case, which actually became one of the last cases he was directly involved with before moving on. While at the FBI, Richard met his future wife, Pauletta, who was also employed with the FBI. Richard had developed a crush on Pauletta who was a laboratory assistant and would often take secret photos of her from his “tie-clip” camera. In time, the young couple decided to leave the FBI behind. Richard’s brother, Bob, stayed on and made it a lifelong career, and Richard maintained FBI connections for decades after and was often brought in on cases, though again, that was all classified.
Realizing a passion for art as a young man, Richard decided on a college path, earning degrees from Columbia Tech in Washington, D.C., a B.A. from the University of Northern Iowa, an M.F.A. from Southern Illinois University and a Ph.D. from California Western University. Pauletta worked as a secretary to help support him. While living in Carbondale, IL, the couple had their only child – Rich, named after his father. Not long after, Richard was hired to teach at the Rex Humbard Development Center on Mission Point, Mackinac Island – a private, Christian liberal arts college. The family then moved to Mackinac Island for three years before John Wesley College of Owosso reached out to Richard to head-up the art department. A group of students followed him from the island and Richard often travelled with these students to places like Germany, Switzerland and France, collecting “rubbings” of his various, art-inspired travels.
Briefly, the boy from a small sheep farm, went on to work at the FBI, obtained numerous degrees and then became a college instructor … and nationally successful artist … and that’s not all. As an artist, Richard was an Impressionist, but worked within a wide number of styles, and is likely best known for his popular, illustrative renderings of local architecture.
“Beauty is everywhere to an artist,” Richard once said. “We must teach ourselves to see the beauty of the ugly, to see the beauty of commonplace, and to become a poet or recorder, rendering expressions.” He loved working outdoors and encouraged his students to do so, as well. He was known for road trips he took in his Volkswagon, camping out on-and-off for a year with his brushes, paint and a palette. Eventually, he sold his first painting to a utility company for $20. Today, his artwork is located in numerous states and held in collections such as the University of Iowa, the Des Moines Art Center, the American Academy of Arts and Letters of New York, and many other locations. In 1973, Richard was listed in the “Who’s Who in American Art” edition. His body of artwork and art influence is enormous.
Living in Owosso for 25 years, Richard supported the Chamber of Commerce (now the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce) and was a member of the Shiawassee Area Tourism Council, the Shiawassee Arts Council (now the Shiawassee Arts Center), the Strategic Planning Council for Shiawassee County, and he taught Sunday School at the First Church of Christ – since his Christian beliefs were always center to his life and he was continuously inspired to help others have a stronger relationship with God.
Pauletta always supported him throughout, taking care of their son and home and assisting him in his business practices. Richard and Pauletta were married in August of 1960 in Elizabethton, TN. She is from Tennessee and resides there today. Having come from a large family of nine girls, she still has family in the south. When Richard became involved in the world of commercial real estate, Pauletta and their son, Rich, joined in assisting with the business.
Richard William Harsh II, or Rich, obviously had a lot to live up to regarding his parents and also community perception. Once known as “Little Richie,” Rich eventually was confronted with a number of stigmas associated with his upbringing in Owosso. He has a huge amount of love and respect for his parents, but growing up in Owosso under his father, he did not necessarily always have the appreciation that came from position because to him, Richard and Paulette were just his parents. Life was comfortable and easy, and prior to his father’s passing, Rich admits he did not fully know life could be different.
Rich shared some memories of growing up with his successful parents. His father often did commission artwork and once had a contract with Coca-Cola that was done in-trade and involved free Coke for a year. Rich also intercepted a phone call from the FBI at one point, hanging up on the call and thinking it was a prank.
When George H.W. Bush was part of a presidential debate in East Lansing, his father was called in to ride in the motorcade with General Norman Schwarzkopf. Rich shared that such events associated with the FBI were “not talked about. It was all sworn to secrecy and never at the forefront.”
Rich was enthralled with tennis early on, loving the outdoors and nature. After high school, he became involved in the professional tennis tour after being certified as a tennis teacher from Ferris and furthering his credentials in Quebec to earn his national certification. He described life as “living out of my racket bag” at the time. He worked with the Women’s Tennis Association, training girls to tour. “I was trying to finish up school, but travelling.” While attending Baker College, he met his wife Janeen LeCureux, of Corunna. In describing his tennis-training career at the time, she didn’t believe him, so he took her to Hilton Head to prove it. They were married in 1994 and now have two daughters, one biological and one adopted.
“Everywhere he went, he planted seeds,” Rich said about his father, referencing his diverse background and how he encouraged community and Christianity to his son and others. “He did it because it was just in his personality. He was real. It was in his guts. What a deal to be able to win people over and help them and encourage them. His roots were helping you see the love of Christ. He was never offensive about it. It was always joyous, always good. It was just naturally there.”
Rich assisted his dad in real estate, but was not appreciative of the business at the time. He was not interested in real estate, though his father was enormously successful, earning numerous awards and specializing in commercial, industrial, business and investment properties. Richard was the top commercial salesperson in Shiawassee County for 13 years. He made the RE/MAX Hall of Fame.
Rich describes his father as a relentless worker who sometimes even slept on the floor at the office. Seeing how hard his father worked was somewhat daunting to Rich as a young man who questioned the stress and strain. Then in 2001, his father passed. Richard’s illness had been abrupt when a mass was discovered in his brain, all of it happening just prior to and just after the September 11 event that changed the world. It all changed Rich’s world, too.
“I went through a period of struggling when Dad passed. I never knew what he had done for the family, for me, for other people, until he passed away. He wasn’t really given all these honors until after. I was an only child and never knew how being an only child could influence me,” Rich said. “It’s not an influence that is preferred. It was hard for me to break out of the stereotype of “Little Richie.” I didn’t know at the time that I’d had things handed to me. My dad loved to work and would work 24-hours a day. He had enormous influence.”
With a background in marketing, Rich had often helped his dad with related marketing elements. When his father suddenly passed, he found himself overwhelmed with the world of real estate. “In 2000, I now know my dad was working to retire. I still find out things about him almost every day.”
Facing the onslaught of losing his father and being somewhat trapped in a career path he didn’t then care for, he and his wife, whom he often describes as “visionary,” opted on a move to Florida. Through many complex circumstances, Rich landed in Florida with no job and almost no money. Prospects were grim. He found himself praying a lot, realizing he needed to mature. After a period, he and Janeen were able to purchase a small condo.
Issues continued to escalate. The Harsh family had lived in a house on Pine Street in Owosso for many years before purchasing a home on Campbell Drive in the mid-1980s. After his father passed, his mother often moved between living in Owosso and Tennessee. At one point a water pipe burst, and before anyone was aware, the house was infected with black mold throughout. “All the artwork, the pics, the heirlooms. I have no clue to this day what all was in that house,” Rich shared. Almost everything was lost and it was devastating.
Due to life and further complications, Rich and Janeen found themselves living in the Campbell Drive home after it had been rebuilt. “We came back up here with nothing. Again, no job. We had enough to get back from Florida. I had to start here, so I tried to get into real estate. It’s what I know. I’m licensed in Florida and Michigan,” Rich shared. Pleasant surprises were on the horizon.
Janeen had decided to earn her cosmetology license and in filing a business name with the county, she and Rich discovered a seed his father had planted. His father had filed for a business under Richard Harsh And Associates in 2001 and nobody in the family had known. All Rich needed was his broker’s license. “This was a gift from Dad. This was a second chance seed left by Dad. I had no clue why we were brought back to Owosso. I didn’t set out in my life to be a broker. Dad had humility. Losing everything taught me to be humble,” Rich stated. “I’m part of my father’s legacy. For what my dad did, even to this day, seeds were planted. I saw that I could toss it or decide to leave a legacy for my family. A different legacy from my dad, but his story is still imprinting on me. I now hope to carry that mission forward, responsibly and respectably. The Lord was asking me if I was humble, if I was ready to be lead. I’m humbled by it every day.”
Rich and Janeen are once again settled in Owosso as he operates Richard Harsh And Associates as a local broker, also offering real estate options in Florida. His goal is to continue being an example of humility while quietly helping the community. He enjoys hunting and fishing and is excited for a positive future.
