Retired engineer puts tinkering skills to good use at Fox Chapel church

Retired Acutronic electrical engineer Howard Havlicsek spent his career testing navigational systems for aircraft and missiles but always found time to put his talents to good use on the ground.

He’s been the go-to “Mr. Fix-It” at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church since joining in 1979.

For 45 years, the O’Hara resident has rewired computers, moved furniture and tinkered with donations to prepare them for sale at the church’s annual Harvest Fair.

“I have all kind of tools at home so I’m able to do it,” said Havlicsek, who recruited his entire family for the feel-good outreach.

His wife, Eva, has volunteered with the Harvest Fair financial team, and his daughter, Deb Krebs, runs the toy donation for the two-day event that draws hundreds of shoppers.

“I grew up in this church, and I have fond memories of running around as a child and spending my money on little stuff at the fair,” Krebs said.

When she began raising her own family, Krebs said, volunteering served as a perfect way to illustrate goodwill to her children.

Her son, Daniel, joined the effort in recent years. The Fox Chapel Area sophomore started helping his grandfather to troubleshoot electronics and has taken that chore on as his own.

This year’s Harvest Fair is scheduled Sept. 6-7 at the church along Fox Chapel Road. It is a fleatique/boutique shopping mix, with a dozen rooms filled with furniture, glassware, clothes, sports equipment, books and jewelry.

Volunteers already are hard at work sifting, sorting and repairing the thousands of donations that come in all summer.

Founded in the 1950s, the Harvest Fair raises more than $75,000 a year to benefit multiple nonprofits. Among them The Women’s Center and Shelter, food banks, Youth Empowerment Project of Sharpsburg, Roots of Faith/Circles, Fox Families Care, Backpacks for Hunger, Aspinwall Meals on Wheels, Hosanna House and Hosanna Industries.

Fay Powell, a volunteer coordinator, said Havlicsek and his family are a joy to work with.

“They are pleasant, considerate and hardworking,” Powell said. “In this day and age, it is heartening to see this church tradition continued. We are blessed to have them.”

She said Havlicsek’s willingness to tackle furniture repairs has been invaluable to the fundraising efforts.

Chalk it up to tenacity, book smarts or the magic touch, church officials count on Havlicsek to review almost every lamp, clock or other item that comes through.

This week, for example, Havlicsek said, “I have a third leg of a table that’s busted so I’m going to have to remount it.”

Having grown up near Irwin, Havlicsek lived for a short time in North Braddock while working at Westinghouse and served in the Army Reserve before moving to O’Hara.

When he joined Fox Chapel Presbyterian, he hit the ground running by upgrading the technology and recording weekly sermons. His forte for repair work is due in large part to a natural curiosity, Havlicsek said.

And he enjoys breathing extended life into items that don’t need to land in a garbage heap, Havlicsek said.

“I like to work on things and figure them out,” he said. “And, I like working with the people.”