Yolanda and Harold Charney were inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 2023
Upon graduating from law school at the University of Oklahoma, Harold married Yolanda Velarde, who became his wife of sixty years. Together, in 1956, they established Harold’s law practice in Owasso, Oklahoma. They grew into a prominent, civic-minded couple, actively addressing local issues concerning education, community relations and social justice.
Harold Charney was born in Henryetta, OK in 1930. His parents, Leon and Esther, ran a department store there after immigrating to America in the early 1900s as a part of a large wave of Jewish immigration through Ellis Island.
Harold graduated from Henryetta High School in 1948, and enlisted in the Army where he completed active-duty service before finishing his education.
Early in his legal career, Harold worked for Tulsa County Legal Aid, serving indigent clients from all backgrounds. He also served on the Owasso City Council and later served as the Owasso City Attorney. Harold worked passionately on behalf of Owasso, helping to establish the vision and the foundation that would allow for Owasso’s tremendous growth over the last 20 years from a small bedroom community to a thriving suburb.
In addition to an active law practice, Harold served as the inaugural President of the Tulsa County Vo-Tech School Board, now known as the Tulsa Technology Center, and the President of the Oklahoma Professional Theatre Foundation. An avid reader and writer of poetry, he spoke annually for many years at the Tulsa Library’s “Harold Charney Poetry Festival for Children.” He also loved the great outdoors and enjoyed teaching his children and grandchildren about different species of trees, birds, and animals. His greatest love was his wife, Yolanda.
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas. Yolanda was the oldest of four children born to Mexican immigrant parents. She received her education at Loretto Academy in El Paso, Loretto Heights College in Denver, and University of Texas at El Paso.
After her marriage and move to Oklahoma, Yolanda quickly began volunteering and building a remarkable professional career. She has served dutifully and passionately as president, founder and board member of numerous Tulsa organizations.
Much of her life’s work is related to her faith tradition. She impacted many lives as the Director of Community Relations for the Jewish Federation of Tulsa and the National Council of Jewish Women. Three Oklahoma governors appointed Yolanda as the state liaison for the US Holocaust Memorial Council and she was the co-convener of the Fourteenth National Workshop on Christian/Jewish Relations, held in Tulsa, in 1994.
Her love of her personal heritage manifested itself through her work on behalf of the Hispanic Community. She accepted leadership roles as co-founder, president, and continued as a consultant to the Hispanic American Foundation – Tulsa Chapter. She served as president of the Greater Tulsa Area Hispanic Affairs Commission and volunteered with the Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Tulsa Public Schools Hispanic Education Task Force.
Access to information and education are vital to any successful city. Yolanda gave of her time and energy to Tulsa Honor Academy Charter School as a Founding Board of Education member, Tulsa Technology Center Foundation, Tulsa City County Library Hispanic Resource Center Board, the Owasso Historical Society and the Owasso Friends of the Library.
The Tulsa Ballet, the Theater Guild, Tulsa Opera, Tulsa Philharmonic Family, Children’s Service Board, OU Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies, Oklahoma Human Rights Commission, Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry, Martin Luther King Society, Inc., Say No to Hate Coalition, YWCA Intercultural Service Center are all recipients of her commitment to human rights, social justice, and arts education.
Yolanda’s numerous community service awards began in 1984 and continue today. She was most recently featured in Tulsa People Magazine’s Legends Series, December 2022.
Harold Charney passed away in 2016, leaving behind a profound legacy. Together, Harold and Yolanda raised three children, Rebecca, David, and Eliot. Yolanda still enjoys dinners and fun with her five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Yolanda photo credit: Michelle Pollard/TulsaPeople Magazine