Harvey William Wilkening Jr.

Harvey entered this short journey in Chicago as the first born of Harvey William Wilkening, Sr. and Mary Nevara Wilkening on January 15,1926. He was baptized at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Cicero, IL, and later attended Redeemer Lutheran Grade School. He confirmed his faith at Redeemer Lutheran Church in eighth grade, his confirmation verse being Psalm 34:19…Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Upon graduation from Morton High School, Harvey enlisted in the Army Air Corp where he served until WWII ended. In 1946 he married his childhood sweetheart. Harvey and Dorothy resided in Chicago until his service with Western Electric took them to Indianapolis, Buffalo, NY, and eventually to Shreveport. Harvey served as Public Relations Manager and retired from Lucent Technologies (ATT) with 42 years of service.

Throughout his career, Harvey remained active in the church work as an elder, an officer, and Bible Study leader. Serving on various boards in the Lutheran churches he attended, Harvey was privileged to serve the Lord on the local, state, and national level. His chief aspiration was mission work.

As a result of active participation with the Industrial Relations Committee in Shreveport, the Hap House, Bell Telephone Pioneers, the National Council of Christian and Jews, Harvey received numerous awards for his service to the community. In 1972 Harvey served as Community Council President; in 1975 and 1978 he received the Caddo Community Action Agency Board of Directors President Award and the Outstanding Performance and Community Service Award along with the first annual Paul Lynch Award; in 1984 he was honored with the Brotherhood and Humanitarian Award from the National Council of Christians and Jew; in 1986 he was recognized in the Industrial Cluster by Grambling; he served on the executive board and as president of Telephone Pioneers 1979-’80, ’83-’84, ’95-’96; and he was president of the Community Council in 1989. Then in 1994 he earned an Award of Excellence from the Hap House.

During the last couple decades, Harvey consistently asked people if they know the Lord. It was extremely important to him that he shared the word and love of God to everyone he encountered. He continuously shared scripture-based pamphlets with the people he met everywhere he went. Harvey was serving on the Board of Lay Leaders at Christ Lutheran Church, Shreveport, when he entered the heavenly kingdom. His favorite scripture that he liked to share is Romans 1:16… For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Harvey is now in the company of those who preceeded in death, including his wife, his parents, and his sister Jean Jacobson.

Family members who are celebrating Harvey’s life include his five children, their spouses and children: Marcia and George Earhart of Stockbridge, GA, and their three children John (Dedee), Rachel (Jason), and David; Gayle and Rick Poland of Longview, TX, and their three children Bryan, Amanda, and Scott; Joyce and Jay Jackson of Baton Rouge, LA, and their three children Sara, Kyle, and Bret; Nancy and Paul Clark of Shreveport, and their three children Paul III (Michelle), Benjamin (Nancy), and David (Katie); and Paul Wilkening and his two children William and Molly. Harvey’s family also includes nine great-grandchildren.

In addition to being the best husband, father, and grandfather in the world, Harvey was a Christian role model to all. Those wishing to honor Harvey’s life are invited to contribute to the charity of choice.

Those wishing to say “see you later” are invited to Harvey’s viewing at Centuries Funeral Home on Mansfield Road in Shreveport, Sunday evening 5pm-7pm, and Monday 10am until the service at 11am at the funeral home.