Bernard “Bud” Harkey
5th Pastor of Faith
Pastor from Aug 1972 - June 1975
History
Bernard Luther (Bud) Harkey was born to Luther Sylvanus Harkey and Eva Viola Allen Harkey on March 27, 1924 in Sanford, Florida where he completed grades 1-12.
From 1943 to 1946 he served in the United States Navy in the South Pacific Theatre of Operations. In 1950 he began a nineteen year employment with Florida Power Company in Enterprise, Florida as a watch engineer and switchboard operator. After he received his first call to preach under the Reverend Bob Jenkins at First Church, Sanford, he began the Course of Study and Candler School of Theology at Emory University to prepare for part-time ministry.
He married Sarah Ann Partridge Harkey on June 7, 1968. Their children from their combined families are the Reverend Alan Luther Harkey, born August 1, 1953, Sarah Elizabeth Simmons, born April 21, 1958; Beth Anne Latourelle, born on July 7, 1961; and Grace Ann Page, born on April 10, 1964.
His first appointment as a local preacher was at Altoona-Paisley in June 1968. At the time he completed his full time work at Florida Power and began studies at Lake Sumter Junior College, Lake County, and Florida Technological University (later University of Central Florida), Orlando.
In 1971, when he was ordained deacon, Bud was appointed to Christ Church, Sanford, where he served for a year before returning to Candler. There, from 1972-1975, he served at Faith Riverdale, Georgia. He was received into probationary membership in 1973. In 1975 he received his mast of divinity degree and returned to Florida Conference for appointment.
His first charge was Glen Julia/Sycamore/Old Mt. Pleasant, as well as the larger parish involving eight Gadsden County Churches. Bud was ordained elder and received into full connection in 1977.
He served the following appointments: Lake Jackson, Tallahassee, 1977-80; Garden City, Jacksonville, 1980-84; Firs, Bowling Green, 1984-87; First Avon Park, 1987-88; and Hallandale/West Hollywood, 1999-89.
After retiring from the pulpit ministry in 1989, Bud became chaplain-counselor for alcohol and drug addiction. After fifteen months counseling at Golden Way, Tallahassee, Bud went back to the pulpit at McCall’s Chapel on the Suwanee near Branford. He served part-time at Glen Julia and Sycamore in Gadsden County, 1992-99. After retiring a second time, Bud enjoyed serving as a voluntary assistant pastor at John Wesley in Tallahassee.
On February 17, 2007, in his Tallahassee home Bud died of metastatic distal esophageal cancer. His funeral serves were on February 22, at John Wesley United Methodist Church in Tallahassee, with the Reverend Ron McCreary and the Reverend Bill Rhoads officiating, and on February 24th, 2007 at First United Methodist Church, Sanford, with the Reverend Bob Sofge, and the Reverend Bill Rhoads officiating. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Sanford, Florida.
Article from 2007 Journal of the Florida Annual Conference. Pg 241
Obituary
The Rev. Bernard Luther "Bud" Harkey, 82 of Tallahassee, died Friday, February 16, 2007, at his home. He was a retired minister of the United Methodist church. A native of Sanford, he moved to Tallahassee permanently in 1990.
He began his ministry at Sanford First United Methodist Church and served as pastor at Old Mount Pleasant UMC, Sycamore UMC and Glen Julia UMC, all in Gadsden County; Lake Jackson UMC in Tallahassee; McCalls Chapel UMC in Branford; and was until recently the assistant pastor at John Wesley United Methodist Church.
He also pastored churches in central and south Florida and Georgia (including Faith United Methodist, in Riverdale), and served as chaplain for Golden Way, a recovery center in Tallahassee. During his ministry he spent 19 years with Florida Power Corp. as a watch engineer and switchboard operator.
He was a WW II veteran of the US Navy, serving in the South Pacific Theater of operations. Funeral services are 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at John Wesley UM Church in Tallahassee with family receiving friends an hour prior to service time at the church.
Services will also be held at 1 p.m. EST Saturday, Feb. 24 at the First United Methodist Church of Sanford, with burial at Evergreen Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Sara Ann Harkey; a son, Alan Luther Harkey (Janet) of Simpsonville, SC; three daughters, Sarah Elizabeth Simmons (Harvey) of Jacksonville, Beth Anne Latourelle (David) of Madison, WI, and Grace Ann Page (Tim) of Callahan; 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial contributions may be made to Railroad Evangelistic Association, 6108 N.E. 54th St, Vancouver, WA 98661.
Reverend Harkey was buried in Evergreen Municipal Cemetery in the city of Sanford, Florida, in Seminole County. His tombstone reads: "Bud" Bernard Luther Harkey Mar. 27, 1934 Feb. 16 2007 Pastor Fla. United Methodist Conference "To God be the glory".
