Harvey Edwin Vogt

Harvey Edwin (Dutch) Vogt, 82, of Taylor, Texas, passed away Thursday, June 29, peacefully in his sleep, at his home after a courageous battle with cancer. Embracing him as he begins his eternal life are those who preceded him in death, his mother and infant sister, during childbirth, his father, in an auto accident, and his older brother, Howard, to the war in Normandy. Harvey lost all of his immediate family between the age of nine and thirteen. Visitation will be 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm on Sunday, July 2, at Wilke-Clay-Fish Funeral Home. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, July 3, at Wilke-Clay-Fish Chapel with interment to follow at Live Oak Cemetery. Pallbearers are Harvey Ross Jenkins, Gene Blumeyer, Ross Jenkins, Philip Owens, Fritz Soechting, John Weaver and Alex Villarreal. Midwife delivered him on December 22, 1923 in Buffalo Gap, Texas to Alford (Alfred) and Agnes Milbrandt (Milbran) Vogt. After living with an aunt and uncle a short while, at age thirteen, he packed all he had and set out on his own. It was not easy, but with him he took all that his parents had taught him and persevered. He hopped trains and took odd jobs to buy or earn his next meal, but he never took anything that was not given to him or earned by him, keeping true to the honesty and integrity he had been taught. As he got a little older he would get jobs as a ranch hand, as his father had, but he also sold vegetables door to door, worked at a waffle house and cooked hamburgers for room and board. He eventually settled in at the Rickenbacker Ranch near Hunt, Texas, and became foreman. By 1962, he bought a service station in Hunt, and was also a member and president of the school board. In 1966 he met and soon married Marie on November 4, 1966 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kerrville and made their families into one. In 1968 Harvey attended night classes in Austin, while working as an auto mechanic, to become an AC Tech, getting him into a better job and career in New Braunfels, Texas. While in New Braunfels he was a member of the Elks Lodge and through them he found his love for airplanes and flight. In 1973 he got his pilots license and bought a plane. He was able to log many hours of flight time by working as an air ambulance pilot for the New Braunfels Airport. Harvey then moved his family back to Austin, Texas and opened an AC Business, while attaining his pilot instructors license. He was then offered an opportunity with the University of Texas, and worked there until he retired. Those left to cherish his memories are his wife, Vernetta Marie Silvers Vogt of Taylor; daughter, Johnnie Sue Maness of Stephenville, Texas; son, Donald Howell and wife Jeanette of Frisco, Texas; daughter, Tina Chance Owens and husband Philip of Taylor; also like a son, Alex Villarreal of San Marcos, Texas; grandchildren, Harvey Ross Jenkins of San Marcos, Texas, Kaitlin Marie Chance, and Dylan Reece Chance of Taylor, also like one of his grandchildren, Matias Montemeyer of San Marcos, Texas and three step-grandchildren Damian Owens of San Diego, California, Meghan Owens of Taylor and Caleb Owens, also of Taylor. Harvey was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was extremely proud of all of his grandchildren. He taught not by words, but by living an example of the value of responsibility, integrity and a work ethic that would be an important part of life. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He was dearly loved and respected by all who knew him and will forever live on through the memories he leaves us. It is with great comfort that we understand he is now living a whole, pain free life. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to: HOSPICE AUSTIN 4107 Spicewood Springs Rd. Austin, Tx 78759 We Deeply appreciate their support and compassion. Memorials and guestbook online at wcfish.com