Harvey Breen Memorial Scholarship
Harvey was a lifelong resident of Chehalis and both he and his wife Judy graduated from W.F. West High School in 1958. Harv started in the logging road construction business, working for his father throughout high school. He then started to build his own business with his first dump truck in 1960. Harv served nine months active duty in Kentucky in the National Guard and then two years of inactive duty. Harv and Judy were married in September of 1962 upon his return from the service.
Harvey then increased his construction business by building logging roads, primarily for Weyerhaeuser. He continued to work for thirty-nine years. Harv built over ninety percent of the logging roads on the Cinebar Hills. He and Judy worked together in all their business endeavors. Harv ran the equipment and crews, and Judy kept track of the paperwork. The business then expanded to a rock crushing operation on Curtis Hill.
In 1972 Harv and Judy bought extensive acreage on Kennicott Hill that was part of the Kennicott Homestead. Harv’s great imagination came up with a beautiful plan and he developed the gated neighborhood, Alderwood Heights. Judy and their daughter Nikki feel that this is Harv’s legacy to the community, in honoring his great mind and vision. Nicola Court was named after his daughter, who he so loved and was so proud of.
From his childhood Harv was a farmer as were his ancestors. He loved the farm where he and Judy lived for over fifty years, especially his Hereford cows. He was in FFA in high school, President of the chapter his senior year, and he was honored as “Farmer of the Year” at the State FFA Conference. Harvey was an amazing husband, father, grandfather, son, brother and friend. Family time was always special. Family came first, then hunting with his friends; working the land and seeing it come to life; his cows; and a love for making the community a better place.
Four generations have graduated from Chehalis and W.F. West High School. Beginning with Harv’s Mom, Virginia Bond Breen in 1935, Harv and Judy Breen in 1958, Nikki Breen Ely in 1990, and Alyssa Ely graduated in 2018. Each year Judy and family award the Harvey Breen Memorial Scholarships to W.F. West graduates who reflect Harv’s life work in the areas of agriculture, working with animals, forestry or engineering.