Wilbur Harkrader Obituary

Wilbur Dean Harkrader

1929 - 2015

Wilbur Dean Harkrader of Redding, died Tuesday March 24, 2015 at Mercy Medical Center. He was 85. He was born in Sedan, Kansas July 24, 1929.

The family moved to California in 1941. They lived in Emeryville. He graduated high school there with his wife to be and after they were married they moved to Alameda. After being an only child he wanted a big family. They had 6 children, a son, a daughter, then a set of twin girls and then 18 months later a set of twin boys. Dean was always the kidder, always having fun. There were many family vacations spent water skiing, camping, go cart racing, and mini bike riding. He played dominos with a vengeance and the whole family joined in.

They stayed in Alameda for 18 years then moved to San Lorenzo. Dean worked for PG&E for 20 years and Safeway Stores for 15 years. He worked two jobs most of his life in order to provide the life he wanted for his family. He was skilled in so many ways. He would buy houses, rebuild them and either sell or turn them into rental property. He partnered with his Dad in auto sales. His Dad would run the car lot and Dean would buy cars (after his day job) rebuild them and sell them at the lot. He bought property in wilderness areas, built roads put in the utilities and then sold the property. He had a laundromat for a while, kept it long enough to bring it to it's highest potential and sold it. He partnered with his son in many ventures and shared his work ethic and determination with all of his children. He was always there for any of his children and always there for his parents.

After the kids had grown and had their own families he and Juanita retired and took their investments and turned them into a Walnut Ranch in Brentwood. Then they were Ranchers and they thrived at it for 12 years.

Then is 1996, they came to Shasta to help their son with a new venture. A marina on Lake Shasta. They bought a houseboat and started having more leisure time. They loved the area and soon sold all the ties in Southern California and bought a house on O'Brien Mountain. They were enjoying a true retirement.

Juanita died in 2002. Dean stayed in that house for a couple of years and joined an RV club and some card groups and made a lot of new friends. Then about 10 years ago he was lucky enough to find a special friend, Dee. They both enjoyed the RV trips and card clubs and each others company. Dee and her family became his second family. He's had a hard few years dealing with the complications of diabetes.

His strength of spirit as well as his physical strength helped him overcome the loss of his legs. He stayed in his own home, still drove his van, went on the occasional outing in his RV and still played Dominos while joking and teasing.

Dean was preceded in death by his sons Ronald Harkrader and Donald Harkrader and survived by his remaining children John Harkrader of Lakehead, Teresa Givens of Ione, Marilyn Marlin of Lewiston, Carolyn Spears of Jackson, his closest friend Dee Rayson of Redding, his grandchildren, Candie Roberts of Avenal, Cheri Pas of Palo Cedro, Kevin Spears of Jackson, April Rivers of Garberville, Cindy Teichera of Redding, Richard Marlin of Weaverville, Julie Givens of Ione, Jillian Fisher of Roseville and Sharon Givens of Ione. Fourteen Great Grandchildren and four Great, Great Grandchildren.

Whenever something went wrong and change was inevitable, he would say " all you can do now, is like it". We'd all laugh and then open our minds as to how to do just that.

Service will be held April 1, 2015 at 11 am at Allen & Dahl Funeral Home on Eureka Way, Redding.
Burial will be held April 2nd at Lonetree Cemetery in Hayward, CA at 12-Noon.

Please sign the guestbook at http://obits.redding.com