Harlan Hale Veal, Jr., 83

Published 9:28 am Monday, January 13, 2025

Harlan Hale Veal, Jr, passed away peacefully, on January 7, 2025, surrounded by his beloved and faithful family at the age of 83, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Harley was the son of Harlan H. Veal, Sr. and Willie Rogers Veal and spent his formative years in Nicholasville. He graduated from Jessamine County High School before attending and graduating from Centre College, where he was a stand-out athlete, competing in football, basketball and baseball, and was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. While he excelled in and enjoyed athletics, he was even more gifted with academics and furthered his intellectual pursuits at the University of Kentucky School of Law, graduating in 1966. His law career included service as Commonwealth Attorney for Jessamine, Garrard and Lincoln Counties for many years. Widely regarded as skilled and formidable in the courtroom, Harley’s family life brought out all of the most gentle and loving qualities in him. A proud father to three children, and six grandchildren, Harley was most content when answering to the name, Da, as given to him by his grandchildren. He reveled in time spent with family, most enjoyably, when that time included ice cream.
A life-long learner and avid reader, Harley found immense joy in learning and in books and he carried his love of reading into the years when Alzheimers had diminished his capacity to communicate, but the comfort of a book in his hands reminded everyone around him that he was still the man who treasured knowledge. Harley also held onto his early love of athletics as he matured and was a practiced and accomplished runner. He enjoyed all sports, but especially UK sports and the Reds, drawing great enjoyment from listening to sports talk on the radio. Music and radio played a strong role in his life and kept him connected when communication became more difficult.
Harley would most like to be remembered for his strong faith. A life-long Christian, Harley was a member of Nicholasville Christian Church where he faithfully served as an elder and Sunday School teacher. He and his wife of 60 years, Phyllis, joined Centenary United Methodist Church in 1993 where he enjoyed listening to Phyllis sing in the Centenary choir. His deep faith was an anchor throughout his life, carrying him through difficulties and storms with the certainty of God’s eternal promises.
Harley was preceded in death by his siblings, Mary Lou Routt and Preston Veal as well as his parents, Harlan Sr. and Willie Veal. His survivors include his wife, Phyllis Temple Veal, a son, Harlan Hale Veal III, daughter, Katherine Veal McCarty, her husband, Brian, and daughter, Mary Elizabeth Veal Wiggins and husband, Mark. His six, treasured, grandchildren are Mary Katherine McCarty, Sarah Jane McCarty Thompson, and husband, Addison, Martha Lee McCarty, William Miller Wiggins, Matthew Wayne Wiggins, and John Mark Wiggins.
Services will be held at Hager and Cundiff Funeral Home in Nicholasville, KY.
Visitation was Wednesday, January 15th from 4-6 PM, and a funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 16th at 1:00pm. Dr. David Thomas will preside. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery.
All arrangements are under the direction of Hager & Cundiff Funeral Home, and we would like to express our deepest sympathy to the Veal family and friends. Sign Harley’s Guestbook at www.hagerandcundifffunerals.com.