Kevin Dwayne Harshbarger, 61, of Lavalette, passed away on October 21, 2022, at the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House in Huntington, WV. Kevin left this world peacefully and spent his final days surrounded by a myriad of family and friends.
The son of Harold Harshbarger and Dorothy Alford Meadows, he was born on August 30, 1961. In addition to his parents, Kevin was preceded in death by his brother Jearold “Chuckie” Harshbarger.
“For those I love, I will sacrifice.” Those are the words Kevin had tattooed on his arm - and those are words he lived by. Through the years, Kevin always made it a priority to help others. He was a natural-born caregiver, as evidenced by his devotion to his brother Chuckie who had Down Syndrome, as well as his insistence on sitting for hours with terminally ill friends to ensure they were not alone in their time of need.
Kevin was a hard worker and the ultimate storyteller. He loved a good joke and making people laugh. From raising tobacco in his younger years to growing vegetables, Kevin had an ardent love for gardening. Often referred to as the “fix it guy”, his keen problem-solving skills came in handy with the numerous construction projects he undertook throughout the years. He had a fondness for horses and cherished the companionship of his faithful dogs, Yoder and Presley. In his downtime, he also enjoyed driving around in his 1969 Camaro.
A dedicated employee of State Electric Supply in Huntington for 41 years, Kevin worked his way up the ranks to become the company’s facilities manager. He took great pride in his job and managed several company projects in Kentucky, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. After his departure from State Electric, Kevin found enjoyment in working at the pro shop and organizing tournaments at Creekside Golf Course.
Kevin was blessed with a plethora of close friends, each of which held a special place in his heart. With his straight-forward approach, you never had to guess where you stood with him and that is exactly why he was respected by so many. He was a brother and father-figure to those closest to him and had a multitude of special friends, including Andy Schafer, Adam Schafer, and Rodney Lockwood, among many others.
Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Della Ruth Harshbarger; children, Nikki Crager (Josh Linville) of Huntington, Aaron (Michael) Harshbarger of Ona, Andi (Scott) Queen of Wayne, and Rachel (Jeremy) Meadows of Ironton, Ohio; siblings, Pamela Meadows of Eleanor, Brenda (Roger) Shull of Milton, and Harold Lee (Linda) Harshbarger of Milton; 12 grandchildren; and many other extended family and friends.
Funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at the Wallace Funeral Home & Chapel, Barboursville, with Scott Queen officiating. Burial will be in Gwinn Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday prior to the service.
The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of the Emogene Dolin Jones Hospice House for their unparalleled care and compassion during this difficult time.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made directly to the Hospice of Huntington, Inc. PO Box 464, Huntington, WV 25709 (Attn: Development Department) or online at https://hospiceofhuntington.org/donate/make-a-donation/.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.timeformemory.com/wallace.
