Thomas Harklerode Obituary, Death – At the Markey Cancer Center in Lexington on Thursday, Thomas Harklerode, who had been battling cancer for some time, lost his fight and passed away. When he was born in Oneida, Kentucky, his parents were Thomas Coldwell Harklerode and Tillie Bussell Harklerode Dees. Both of his parents had passed away prior to the time of his birth. Before he took his retirement from the state of Kentucky, where he had worked as a Pre-trial Supervisor, he was an active member of Westside Baptist Church, where he also held the positions of Deacon and Trustee. During the time of the Vietnam War, he was a soldier in the United States Army.
Thomas served as a head coach for the Berea College golf team as well as an assistant coach for the Berea College women’s basketball team. Before he began his career as a coach, he served as a basketball and baseball official for the Kansas High School Activities Association (KHSAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the NCAA, and numerous regional leisure leagues. As a result of Mr. Tom’s employment as a bus driver for Berea Community Schools, he had the chance to serve as a positive example for a sizeable number of children and adolescents who lived in this area.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his two brothers, Jack Harklerode and Harold Bussell. His grandparents also passed away before him. His great-grandparents were likewise taken from this world before he was born. Thomas is survived by his wife Beverly Cummins Harklerode, his children Lesley Anne Thompson of Richmond, Bunky (Shan) Harklerode of Sacramento, California and Angela (H.D.) Prewitt of Berea; one brother Gene (Margaret) Harklerode of Salado, Texas; two sisters Betty Sue Harklerode of London and Judith Morrisette of Charlotte, North Carolina; one sister-in-law Reba Bussell of London, Kentucky; eight grandchildren
