Haney Presley Wilkerson Sr.

It is with both great sadness and joy that we announce the passing of one of Houston’s finest. On Tuesday May the 5th 2026 Haney Presley Wilkerson Sr. passed away at the age of 91. Haney was the son of John Walter and Mildred Hazen Wilkerson. Haney was the youngest of two sons and was born in Houston Tx, on February 9th, 1935.

The Wilkerson family had moved to Houston from the Port Author area in the early 1900’s. They first called the Harrisburg area of Houston home. The family would operate a small grocery store serving the residents of the east end of Houston. Walter and Mildred were married in 1932 and shortly after that they had their first son, Johnny Wilkerson. Haney would arrive just a few years later. Eventually Walter and Mildred would purchase 5 acers of land at 9330 Almeda Genoa. This would become the family homestead for more than 50 years. Life for them was a simple one but at the same time very difficult. Walter worked at the Rice Mill and Mildred did what many women of the period did and went to work at the shipyard to help with the war effort. Haney learned the lessons of hard work and dedication from his mother and father. Those two things would carry him to becoming the man was. Growing up Haney was involved in the FFA and always had livestock to take care of daily. Between that and helping Walter in the garden the days started early and was nonstop work until Mildred would call them in for dinner.

At a very young age Haney knew exactly what he wanted to do for a living. That was to become a Police Officer. I am sure some of that was influenced by one of the family’s neighbors. That neighbor was Hermon Short. Herman was with the Houston Police Department and would eventually become Chief in 1964. At some point in the 1950’s Haney went to Herman to ask if he could join the academy. Herman said, son go put on a few pounds and come back and see me. Haney did not let that stop him from fulfilling his dream. He would eventually join the Police Department for the city of South Houston. He would also spend time in the Texas National Guard. By this time Haney had married a young lady by the name of Mrs. Mixon and in 1956 they welcomed Haney Jr into the world followed by Cindy a few years later. They lived in a house in South Houston, but Haney would eventually build a small home for his family on the 5 acers at Almeda Genoa. Eventually Haney and Mrs. Mixon would divorce, and Haney was left to do what many of us had to do, start over. In 1960 Haney finally fulfilled his boyhood dream and was accepted to the Houston Police Academy.

While becoming a Police officer was Haney’s dream it wasn’t his true purpose in life. He found that sometime around 1965. In true Haney fashion having 1 job was never enough. So, while he was a patrolman he took on a 2nd job driving a school bus. The story goes that one of the ladies at the bus barn told him there was someone he should meet. So, one evening a blind date was set. That blind date was with Mary Lena McLain. Haney tells the story that he knew immediately that he was going to marry this woman. It was, as they say, love at first sight. Someone I just recently spoke with would say, he found his soulmate that evening. When he was able to get up the nerve to ask her, he didn’t get the answer he thought he would. When he asked, her response was that she would love to, but I’m already married. While she had been separated from her husband and had moved back to Pasadena from Florida, technically she was still married. Once again in true Haney fashion he wouldn’t let any obstacle stand in the way of what he wanted. Haney helped her navigate the process and her divorce was finalized. Then on April 23rd, 1966, he did exactly what he said he was going to do. On that day Haney and Mary became husband and wife. Mary moved in to the home on Almeda Genoa that he had built. They would go onto raise 3 boys, Kirk, JoJohn, and Karl. In the beginning Haney Jr and Cindy were always around but over time their relationship became less and less. In 91 years of life, Haney only spoke of a single regret. That was losing the relationship with Haney Jr and Cindy. It was a wound that never healed to the very end.

The next few years were filled with camping trips, little league games, and family get togethers. While Mary ran the day-to-day activities it was those lessons of hard work and dedication that Haney learned so many years ago, that propelled our family. Haney served on the force for 22 years. To provide his family with opportunities, he was always working extra jobs that being an officer provided. There were many nights and weekends, it would just be Mary and the kids. Haney and Mary would eventually purchase land on Lake Livingston, in Point Blank Texas. In the beginning Mary would often drive us kids up to the lake after school on Friday and Haney would meet us there after working an extra job. The weekends and summers would be spent in a popup trailer on the property. Most weekends there were multiple trailers. Our mothers, 2 sisters, Libby and Norma and their husbands Clifton and Norman along with our cousins Jimmy and Daryl would be regular guests. Time was spent enjoying each other’s company while fishing, water skiing and just hanging out at the roadbed beach. Eventually Haney and Mary would make the decision to build a house on the property. While the lake had been a place to go and relax there was a lot of work to do. So, with help from Clifton and Norman they began building a summer home that the entire family would enjoy for years to come.

Haney served through some trying times for the HPD. The department was not shielded from the changes going on, not just in Houston but the entire country. Haney would serve under his mentor, Herman Short from 1964 until 1973. Haney served in several different departments within the force and made many lifelong relationships along the way. In 1977 his friend Harry Caldwell would become Chief. Harry would call on his old friend H.P. Wilkerson to be his aid. Haney served in that role until Chief Caldwell retired in 1980. Haney would spend 2 more years on the force before retiring himself in 1982. After retirement he relied on some of the relationships that he had built through the department. He would go on to work with former officers Emmit Williams and even his old friend Harry Caldwell in the private sector. Haney would eventually start his own private investigation company. H.P. Wilkerson Services, where he used his skills learned on the force for accident investigation. In 1995 Haney and Mary put the house on Almeda Genoa up for sale and made the house on lake Livingston their permanent residence. By this time Haney was about as close to full retirement as he would ever be. Although, he was always taking on some kind of new job. Haney was not the type to just be able to sit around and smell the roses. Even though our mother did provide him with plenty of roses.

For the next 20 years it was just Haney and Mary enjoying each other in the paradise they had built. I suspect a perfect day for Haney would have been to wake up, have a cup of coffee with mom while she was sitting in her swing. Then it would be him and the dog walking down to the pier and getting on the boat. Just him and the dog on the lake taking it all in. If he happened to catch some fish along the way, even better. Then he would come home and have some lunch with mom, and it was time to get to work. He would mow the grass, water the grass and all of mom’s plants. In addition, there was always a project he was working on. Then it was time for round two. He would load up the dog and back to the lake they would go. While his morning trip involved coffee, the evening trip certainly involved a cold bud light, maybe two. As the sun begins to set, he would slowly make his way back to the dock. Marry would have already started dinner but they would spend a few minutes sitting on the deck soaking it all in. After dinner it was coffee and popcorn while they watched a little television. Haney would probably be “resting his eyes” during this time, but in most instances, he would make it to the evening news. After the news he would kiss Marry goodnight and him and the dog would go upstairs in anticipation of doing it all over again tomorrow. It was this time in Haney and Mary’s life that all the hard work for so many years had finally paid off. They enjoyed it as long as they possibly could.

On April 8th, 2025, Haney lost that purpose he had found nearly 60 years ago. His loving wife was called to Heaven on that day. On May 5th, 2026, he found it again. I don’t know what Heaven looks like but for our father, if it includes our mother, a lake, a boat, an occasional chicken fried steak and a bud light, he will be just fine. I just know he’s going to need a bigger boat because there will be a lot of dogs. So, until we meet again, this is our final goodbye. We love you Dad.

Haney is survived by:

His four sons and daughter, Their children and grandchildren

Kirk and Kim Wilkerson, their son, daughter and grandchildren

Son Kris and wife Amanda Wilkerson: son Kolby, daughters Genevive and Evelyn

Daughter Kali Wilkerson: daughter Peyton, Sons Gage and William

John and Mischelle Wilkerson and their two daughters

Daughters Mackenzie and Tessa

Karl Wilkerson and Holly Moss, his daughter Hailey (Daughter of Tammy Wood Wilkerson) and Hailey’s daughter Karlee

Haney Presley Jr (Little Haney) and his children and grandchildren

Daughter Ashley and Josh and their daughter Talyn and son Teage

Son Chance and Johanna and their daughters Cayd and Cambry and son Canaan

Cindy Wilkerson and her daughter Nichole and her two daughters Alexis Thomas and Kaydence Carr

In total Haney had 4 sons, 1 daughter, 8 grandchildren and 14 grandchildren

His wife Mary’s two sisters and their families

Norma Joe McLain Hartsfield, her two sons Daryl and James Hartsfield and their children

The youngest daughter Libby Ann McLain Cargil and husband Clifton Cargil.

We would also like to mention the following that have been a significant part of Haney’s life:

Susan, Cheryl, Debbie and Craig Wilkerson and their children and grandchildren

Peri “A daughter in heart” and Ronnie Moody and their children and grandchildren

June, Dwayne and Sherry Tade

Tammy Wood Wilkerson

Ken and Carolyn Maniscalco

The entire San Jacinto Republican Party Especially George Garrett and his family