Harvey E. Fiala was born on June 30th, 1934, in Forman, North Dakota to parents Emil Fiala and Blanche Rehak Fiala. Was baptized and raised Catholic. Harvey graduated and received a bachelors from North Dakota State University (NDSU) and received a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from California Institute of Technology (Caltech) on a Howard Hughes scholarship. Married Bonnie Marie Kieffer. They have ten children. Five boys and five girls. John, Annette, Paul, Marie, James, Ruth, Peter, Andrew, Elizabeth, and Kathryn. Twenty-seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Harvey worked most of his career in the aerospace industry for Rockwell International. Developed two-way laser communication. Worked on the Apollo Program and Space Shuttle. Was an Our Lady of Perpetual Help parishioner for almost 60 years and a fourth degree Knights of Columbus member. Retired and has five patents including two on Inertial Propulsion. Published a four-volume family history book. Was married for 62 years. With many other accomplishments throughout his life, he was truly an accomplished man, a husband, a father, a grandfather, great grandfather, and indelibly our role model.
A visitation for Harvey will be held Tuesday, September 19, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Miller Mies Downey Mortuary, 10229 Paramount Blvd, Downey, California 90241. A rosary in chapel will occur Tuesday, September 19, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM, 10229 Paramount Blvd, Downey, California 90241. A funeral mass will occur Wednesday, September 20, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 10727 Downey Ave, Downey, California 90241. A burial to follow funeral mass will occur Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 11:30 AM at All Souls Cemetery, 4400 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807. A reception to follow burial will occur Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 12:30 PM at Knights of Columbus Hall, 11231 Rives Ave, Downey, CA 90241. Please RSVP for the reception by text or call to Wendy Fiala at 562-706-3888.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.millermiesdowneymortuary.com for the Fiala family.
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