Dr. Harvey Voldeng

Dr. Harvey Voldeng

March 1, 1941 - July 22, 2026

Peacefully, with family by his side, Harvey passed away at the Queensway Carleton Hospital on July 22, 2026, at the age of 85. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Evelyne (2002); his parents, Jens and Edna Voldeng; and his brother-in-law, Oswald Leicht.

Harvey was born on March 1, 1941, in Spalding, Saskatchewan, where he completed his first twelve years of education. He went on to earn his BSc

(1963) and MSc (1966) from the University of Saskatchewan, before venturing overseas to Oxford University, England, where he earned his doctorate of Philosophy (1969) in Maize Physiology. It was at Oxford, as a graduate student, that he met the love of his life, Evelyne Latuner.

Upon completing his doctorate, Harvey was hired as a corn physiologist at the Ottawa Research Station on the Central Experimental Farm, Agriculture Canada. He soon transitioned into soybean breeding and physiology, a shift that would come to define his life's work. Over more than 40 years, Harvey rose through the ranks - as a researcher, as Head of Plant Breeding and Agronomy; Chair and Section Head of Plant Breeding at the Plant Research Centre; and, subsequently at the Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre, where he oversaw the development of the Central Experimental Farm's crop breeding programs. He went on to serve as acting Director of the Plant Research Centre.

It was as a soybean breeder that Harvey made his most lasting mark. His research produced varieties that allowed farmers to grow soybeans in areas of Ontario where short growing seasons and low temperatures had long made the crop unviable. And now, these soybeans are grown successfully today from Prince Edward Island through to Alberta. As a celebrated pioneer in Canadian agriculture, he spent 43 years transforming soybeans from a minor regional crop into a multi-billion-dollar nationwide industry, that gave Canada a genuine foothold in the export markets around the world. Not to mention the impact in Canada with soybeans feeding livestock and Canadians, as we embrace meat protein replacements, plant based diets, and soy based food we purchase in grocery stores. Harvey also developed 2 specialized small-seeded soybean cultivars bred specifically so that Canadian grown soybeans, would properly soften during industrial steaming and fermentation, that was exported for the Japanese natto market. He will be remembered not only for the varieties he bred, but for the generations of farmers, researchers and industry leaders whose livelihoods were shaped by his life's work.

Colleagues remember Harvey as a leader you could always approach. His office door was open, and he was ever ready to offer advice, mentorship, and quiet encouragement to

those who sought it. Soft-spoken and genuine, he earned the deep respect of colleagues and employees alike. He officially retired in 2012, but his passion for the work never really stopped - he continued as an Honorary Research Associate and advisor at the Ottawa Research and Development Centre until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic closed the facility's doors. He will be sorely missed by the many peers and friends who still gather to talk science, and to reminisce about their years together at Agriculture Canada.

In recognition of his many accomplishments, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2019 - one of the country's highest civilian honours. His many other accolades include: "Seed of the Year" award 2015 (Maple Series Variety) - a highly regarded national honor in Canadian agriculture, celebrating plant varieties that have transformed farming, driven massive economic impact and reshaped commercial crop production; the Canadian Society of Agronomy's Distinguished Agronomist Award (2014) - signifies a lifetime career of exceptional/transformational contributions to the science, practice and education of crop and soil management; and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal - awarded for his significant contributions to Canadian agriculture (2013).

For all his accomplishments, Harvey remained a humble man who never forgot his Saskatchewan roots. He cherished the simple things in life: tending to his flower and vegetable gardens, phone calls to family; trips back to Saskatchewan to visit and take in "harvest time"; time with cousin Judy and family and time with his retired colleagues/friends from work, for lunches. He loved his pets, both dogs and cats throughout the years and after Evelyne passed, he found new joy in travel, and took great delight in the countries he visited.

His memory will be cherished by his brother, Ronald (Claire); Nephew Jason (Lisa) children Elle and Shea; Niece Renelle (Todd), children Everett and Lachlan; Sister Linda Leicht; Nephew Troy (Bonnie) children Julia, Levi and Niece Kim Leicht. Special thanks to cousin Judy, husband Brian, and daughter Deanna Scott, for their love, care and attention to Harvey over the years, and for the comfort of family visits made possible by living close by. The family would also like to thank Harvey's good friend and companion Linda Martinig.

At Harvey's request, there will be no Celebration of Life. Those wishing to make a donation in his memory, can do so, by contacting either the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Alzheimer's Society of Canada. We can all too, simply just raise a glass and toast, "To Harvey, you will be greatly missed, but never forgotten".