Harry Kahanek

On Tuesday August 21, 2018, our beloved husband, Father and Pepaw, Harry R. Kahanek passed away at the age of 75.

Harry was born December 9, 1942 in Yoakum, Texas to Ernest and Annie Tupa Kahanek. On September 21, 1964 he married Joyce Elaine Penley in Cuero, Texas. Together they raised four wonderful children; Dwayne Kahanek, Debbie Kahanek, Dennis Kahanek and Donna Kahanek Mann.

Shortly after marrying Joyce, Harry began his journey in to adulthood with his first career hand tooling saddles at the Circle Y Saddling Company in Yoakum, Texas. Not long after working there he found his true passion of truck driving. He began in Freeport, Texas hauling for Dow Chemical Plant. He and his family moved to El Campo, Texas in 1972 and planted their roots. He worked for Martinez Brothers Trucking, Joe Hargrove and eventually found himself at Frank W Marek Trucking for the next 32 years. Once entering the trucking world, he was given the CB handle "Harry-O". Harry-O spent many miles on the beautiful Texas roads and met many good people along the way. Even after his retirement, he would still sit out in the driveway in his little red 1963 Chevy Pickup and talk on his CB to keep in touch with all the drivers on the road. Though he loved trucking, he also loved spending time with family and friends under "the tree", the Houston Oilers and music by Jim Reeves, Fats Domino, The Beatles, Freddy Fender and Merle Haggard.

Harry was preceded in death by his father Ernest Kahanek, Sr., mother Annie Tupa Kahanek, brothers Stanley Kahanek and Ernest Kahanek, Jr. and his sisters Margorie Evans and Mary Ann Ulrich. He is survived by his loving wife Joyce Kahanek; children, Dwayne Kahanek and wife Lori, Debbie Kahanek and Jerome Hermis, Dennis Kahanek and wife Sheila, Donna Mann and husband Andrew; grandchildren, Ashley Nielsen and husband Cliff, Melanie Kahanek and husband Bobby Galvan, Leslie Sanchez and husband Sebastian, Brittany Taylor and fiancé Andrew Cardenas, Emilie Kahanek Fowler, Dakota Taylor, Macy Taylor and Casey Mach, Tyler Mann, Derek Kahanek, Brandee Kahanek, Trevor Mann and Brett Mach; great grandchildren Lacey Nielsen, Angela Resendez, Natalie Nielsen, Lauren Resendez, Kathryn Resendez, Pete Dwayne Galvan, Addisyn Fowler, Camille Sanchez, Ryker Fowler, Rhett Sanchez, Terra Cardenas; cousins, nieces and nephews as well as his beloved cats Sally, Sammie, Little Girl, Smokey, Patches and Little Man.

Visitation will start Friday at 5 pm at Wheeler Funeral Home . A rosary will be recited on Friday August 24, 2018 at Wheeler Funeral Home in El Campo, Texas at 7:00 pm.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday August 25, 2018 at the First Baptist Church of El Campo at 3:00 pm. Following the funeral service, he will be laid to rest at the Garden of Memories.

Pallbearers will be Dakota Taylor, Derek Kahanek, Cliff Nielsen, Tyler Mann, Dustin Marek and Casey Mach.