Harry A. Nevlin Jr.

Dateline: Godfrey Harry A. Nevlin Jr., 95, passed away at 7:05 a.m. Tuesday, August 5, 2014 at home. He was born June 22, 1919 in Alton, the son of the late Harry Nevlin Sr. and Kathryn (Starkey) Nevlin. He married Alice Jane Brown on April 18, 1959. She passed away in 1983. He married Linda K. Heil on January 1, 1993 at 12th Street Presbyterian Church where both were long-time members. He graduated from Alton High School in 1937 and worked with his father in the family business until enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1941. He served for four years, attaining the rank of Master Sergeant. After his military service, he rejoined the family business, H.A. Nevlin Moving and Transfer, which his father had started in 1919. He later became head of the company until he retired and sold the business in 1986. He subsequently worked at various times for Fry-Wagner Industrial Movers and Roberts Motors and was a volunteer driver for Saint Anthony’s Health Center. As a member of the Board of Directors of the Upper Alton Business Association, he was involved with organizing the Alton Memorial Day Parade from 1944 until 1992. As a volunteer, he picked up flowers from florists for the parade every year and was the parade “starter” until 2013. In 2001 he served as the Parade Marshall. He also served on the board of Directors for a number of other organizations including Colonial Fife and Drum Corps, Illinois Mover’s Association, Illinois Movers Rates and Tariffs, the Bank of Alton Building Board and was a member of Commercial Travelers. He belonged to the Masonic Orders since 1943 and in 2013 was given special recognition for being a 70-year member of the Masonic Lodge. He joined the Alton-Godfrey Kiwanis club in 1951 and was a very active member for 63 years. He also was a member of Score, Alton Little Theater and the Route 66 Association and for many years was a volunteer at the Christmas Wonderland light display in Rock Spring Park and at First Night River Bend. He was an Elder at 12th Street Presbyterian Church in Alton serving as Head Usher for many years until it closed in 2011 and he then joined the Evangelical United Church of Christ in Godfrey. Surviving are his wife, Linda Nevlin of Godfrey, four children and their spouses, Harry Nevlin III, Kathryn and Dennis Oseland, Susan and Christopher Whitlock, Julia Nevlin, two stepchildren and their spouses, Laura and Patrick Shansey, Jeffrey and Jean Heil and grandchildren and spouses, Jordan and Melissa Clark, Nicholas Clark, Timothy Nevlin and fiancée Ashley Profer, Charles and Olivia Whitlock; and step grandchildren Sydney and Evan Shansey, James, Jayson and Julia Heil and great-grandchildren, Dalton and Jack Clark, and Chloe Nevlin. A memorial visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until a service celebrating his life at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 9, 2014 at the Evangelical United Church of Christ in Godfrey. Pastors David Olson and Jeffrey Heil will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the scholarship fund of the Alton-Godfrey Kiwanis Club, Evangelical United Church of Christ Capital Improvement Fund, or the Alton Little Theater Next Stage Campaign. Gent Funeral Home in Alton is in charge of arrangements. PDF Printable Version

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Harry A. Nevlin Jr.

June 22, 1919 - August 5, 2014