Harold Lykins, beloved father of Carolyn (Jim) Wohl, Beth (Brad) Agin, and Don Lykins passed away at 86, Tues., Sept. 18, 2018. Grandfather of Benjamin Agin, Sophia Wohl, Emma & Lily Lykins, and Addy Wohl. Brother of Nola Lykins. Preceded in death by siblings Arthur, Woodford, James, Margie (Miller) and JT Lykins, as well as parents, Harrison and Nola Lykins.
He died from Alzheimer’s and stroke complications.
Ohio visitation: Fri., Sept. 21, 4:45pm-6:45pm, with a eulogy following at Schmidt-Dhonau-Kucner Funeral Home, 8633 Reading Road, Reading, OH 45215.
Kentucky visitation: Sat., Sept. 22, noon-2pm with service immediately following at the Magoffin County Funeral Home, 900 Parkway Drive, Salyersville, KY, 41465. Burial at the Lykins’ family cemetery at his beloved Cherry Orchard, outside of Salyersville, KY, Magoffin County, immediately following.
Harold was a wistful, unpretentious self-made man and proud of it with a deep passion for hard work believing it kept you living longer. The only things he hated were tall grass, city water, and cold food.
A true country boy, he moved to Cincinnati like many Appalachian people during the 1950s for factory work from Salyersville, Kentucky in Magoffin County. He obtained his barber’s license in 1962 and then was able to develop his entrepreneurship passion by establishing a barbershop while dabbling in rental properties. He was a simple man who lived modestly, often showering at the YMCA where he got a closer shave after the sauna.
In 1980 he wanted a future for his children and took a giant leap when purchasing the famous, Reading, Ohio, Wishing Well restaurant for them.
Hard work was his passion as he rose early each day to get a jump on daily tasks and rarely watched TV, managing his investments until just before his death. He loved the action of busy Reading Road and the rental properties that hugged it. His world was Reading, Ohio, and Salyersville, Kentucky, just three hours of driving distance, but worlds apart.
Harold’s Kentucky hobbies included Bluegrass music, dabbling in farming at Middle Fork, and riding his Kubota on his land always with a rifle. He enjoyed viewing photos from his 10 trail cameras: black bear, elk, coyote, lynx, deer, skunk, raccoon, red-tailed hawk, and many other animals that live on his land.
His Ohio hobbies included going to Reading’s own McDonalds for coffee and to meet friends, eating lunch and dinner at Reading’s establishments such as Sorrento’s, Popeye’s, and the Bridge House. He was an active member of the Masonic Lodge: Melrose #671.
He was a collector of many things, once saying “Don’t throw nothing away that you can save.”
Other interests in his life included boating and hunting as well as fishing in his farm’s pond.
In lieu of flowers, family and friends can donate to either the Alzheimer’s Association: Greater Cincinnati Chapter
644 Linn Street, Suite 1026, Cincinnati, OH 45203 or The American Cancer Society: P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123 in honor of Harold’s mother, Nola Lykins and sister, Margie Miller.
Online condolences may be made at www.schmidtdhonaukucner.com.
