Hal L. Vey

Hal LeRoy Vey passed into the Arms of his Lord Sept. 18, 2007, in St. Joseph, surrounded in prayer by his loving family.
Hal was born prematurely April 30, 1951, at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco, Calif., to Wilma Marie (Lawhon) Vey and LeRoy Francis Vey, moving with his family to St. Joseph when he was six years old. He attended St. Joseph schools, graduating from the Central High School Class of 1971.
He began work at Missouri Methodist Hospital where he met his future wife, Brenda K. Neal. He was smitten with her blonde hair, she with his dancing brown eyes. Theirs was an "Old Fashioned Love Song" whirlwind romance leading to their marriage in January of 1972 at the Rev. Hubert Byrd's Victorian home on Clay Street.
Hal held various interesting employment positions throughout his life that gave him satisfaction as well as support for his growing family of five children who were the delight of this papa's heart; his devotion and love for his family was his driving purpose and foundation in his life. His jobs in his earlier life included work in a meatpacking plant, manual labor for his in-law's mobile home park, auto detailing, and convenience store clerk. Both he and his wife worked side-by-side for 15 years in their business, Veyco Janitorial. Prior to that, they operated the toy shop at Townsend & Wall. He enjoyed some years as a customer service representative for Citibank before his love of airplanes drew him to Vanguard Airlines as a ticket agent for seven years. Hal also enjoyed a short stint in the real estate business, securing his real estate license after being certified by the St. Joseph Regional Board of Realtors in 1991. He worked for Sinclair Realty as well as Remax of Kansas City. In spite of his deteriorating health issues, Hal insisted on working when he could; thusly, he started V.I.P. Shuttle, transporting customers to and from the K.C.I. Airport, his wife supporting and assisting his endeavors. His customers appreciated his professionalism; he was timely with a low-keyed polite persona. He continued this position for several years until his failing health further limited him, eventually closing. He has always missed his loyal customers, and they have sorely missed him.
He had many interests even if health problems prevented him from actively pursuing them. Just like one of his favorite John Candy movies, "Trains, Planes, and Automobiles," he was keenly interested in each. He could talk about the first two for hours, and he could create a makeshift water reservoir for his wife's car when the first one went out; he was extraordinarily mechanically inclined. He was the family chef, the bar-b-q king of his entire family and enjoyed advising his sons on the how-to's. He also delighted in planting spring flowers when he could as well as putting in the tomato plants; one year, he produced the biggest and best Big Boys (no pesticides) that were shared freely with the neighbors. That was Hal: all heart and more than willing to make sacrifices for his family and others.
Some of his other interests were weather-related: he thoroughly enjoyed observing the weather, watching the Weather Channel, and really had a penchant for arousing family members during stormy weather with such exclamations as "We have rotation!" He was the kind of parent, as was his wife, who could not fathom a vacation without the whole family alongside. He was the kind of dad who didn't say, "I love you" so much as he showed his deep love. He truly epitomized the saying, "Still waters run deep."
Our beloved will always forever and a day be missed; yet, we know we would never have him back to suffer as he has these past twenty years, and in particular the past 11 months; these had been filled with almost unbearable intense sufferings. Still, we give thanks to the Great and Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, Merciful and Loving God, Mysterious and Unfathomable Lord God, that he allowed Hal that very short time from the first time he briefly went to the other side, less than a year ago, only to come back and help us prepare to accept this tremendous and grievous loss in our lives…to help us view it as a Celebration of his new life.
Hal was preceded in death by an infant son, Brett Michael Vey; his mother, Wilma Marie (Lawhon) Vey; maternal grandparents, Kathleen (Bennett) Lawhon Redd, James Redd, and Edward Lawhon; paternal grandparents, Helen (Imbrie) Vey McDonald, Harry Vey and Henry McDonald; and maternal uncles, Edward Lawhon and Paul Lawhon of California.
Hal is survived by his wife of 35 years, Brenda (Neal) Vey; sons, David E.L. Vey of St. Joseph and Hal A.T. Vey of Kansas City, Mo.; daughters, Natalie A. Vey-Ranganathan of Kansas City, Alexandra N. Vey and Michelle K. Vey of St. Joseph; son-in-law, Sanat Ranganathan; daughter-in-law, Jennifer Vey; grandson, Lance David Karter Vey; twin granddaughters, Abby and Emma Vey; brother, Paul Vey of Stewartsville, Mo.; and father, LeRoy Francis Vey of St. Jos