Harold Charney

Mr. Harold Charney was born in Henryetta, Oklahoma in 1930 and graduated from Henryetta High School in 1948, earning state championship honors in both Debate and Extemporaneous Speaking.

Charney earned both his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Oklahoma, after enlisting in the Army and completing active-duty service.

In 1956, he established a law practice in Owasso, Oklahoma with his wife Yolanda. The young couple grew into a prominent, civic-minded team, actively addressing local issues concerning education, community relations and social justice.

In addition to an active law practice that spanned nearly fifty years, Charney served as the inaugural President of the Tulsa County Vo-Tech (i.e. Tulsa Tech) School Board. During his 36-year tenure on the Board, Charney helped lead the state’s newest school district to a position of national prominence for its excellence in CareerTech training and educational services.

Early in his legal career, Charney also worked for Tulsa County Legal Aid, serving clients from all backgrounds. That experience was formative, as pro-bono services to the less advantaged permeated his law practice throughout his career. In addition, Charney served on the Owasso City Council and later served as Owasso City Attorney. He worked passionately to establish the vision and the foundation that would help support Owasso’s tremendous growth from a small bedroom community to the thriving suburb it is today.

Charney loved the performing arts, illustrated by the fact that he served as the President of the Oklahoma Professional Theatre Foundation, which revived the Tulsa Summer Musical series in the late 1970’s. An avid reader and writer of poetry, Charney spoke annually for many years at the Tulsa Library’s “Harold Charney Poetry Festival for Children”, sharing his love of poetry with children throughout the Tulsa area.

Mr. Harold Charney was a man that loved his wife of sixty years, three children, community and respectfully, Tulsa Tech.