- Elizabeth "Lib" Alexander Harvey, 93, peacefully closed her eyes and went home to be with her beloved husband, Mr. James T. "Bundy" Harvey, and her much cherished daughter, Patricia Alexander, on August 14, 2007. Born in Bluefield, West Virginia on April 13, 1914, she was the daughter of the late Pedro Jefferson "Dear" Alexander and the late Victoria Coles Alexander and resided with them at 209 Union Street. Following her graduation from Beaver High School, she finished her education at Brenau College, Gainesville, Georgia; West Virginia University, Morgantown; and Bluefield College. She married "Bundy" Harvey, formerly of Radford, Virginia, in a simple ceremony on June 10, 1937. The local newspaper reported that "[n]ews of the wedding [was] of particular interest, as both Mr. Harvey and his bride [were] popular members of the young social set" and that the June bride was "modishly attired in white, with corsage to match." The couple thereafter made their home in Bluefield, where they were blessed with and raised two children, Patricia and Jordan, first residing on Whitethorn Street, later at Mintspring Farm, and finally on Heatherwood Road. Mrs. Harvey was an active Bluefield civic and church leader. She was a pillar of Bland Street Methodist Church as a Sunday school teacher, circle leader, committee and alter guild member, and hand bell choir participant. She served as vice president of the Bluefield District of the Woman's Society of Christian Service (WSCS) of the West Virginia Methodist Conference and as secretary of promotion for the WSCS of the West Virginia Conference. Mrs. Harvey was elected and served as president of the WSCS of the West Virginia Conference for the 1965-66 term, after which she was praised for her "devoted leadership" and was "beloved by her fellow officers, who found her calm,cheerful manner a and her deep spirituality a great inspiration." In 1968, she attended the Dallas, Texas Uniting Conference as one of West Virginia's 14 delegates, during which the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church joined to form the United Methodist Church. Mrs. Harvey also participated in numerous civic activities, including being a trustee of the YWCA organization; a member of the Little Gardens Club; and a member of the McGuffy Book Club. For over a decade, during the final years of her mother's life, and thereafter during the final years of her husband's life, Mrs. Harvey faithfully, tirelessly, and selflessly attended to the needs and comfort of her bedridden loved ones, setting an unequaled standard of devotion. In 1987, she lost her husband after 50 years years of marriage. For the next decade, as one of her younger of her contemporaries, she served as friend, chauffeur, and consoler to the other widows of the Bland Street Church congregation. Known to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren as "Nana," in the late 1990's, Mrs. Harvey moved to Alexandria, Virginia in order to be closer to her daughter and granddaughters and was able to live alone and drive her automobile until 2005. After she no longer wished to live alone, Mrs. Harvey resided with her granddaughter Julia Vaughan, Julia's husband Charles "Buff" Vaughan, and their children Zachary and Molly. Surviving Mrs. Harvey are her son Jordan, of Roanoke Virginia; the Vaughan family of Nokesville, Virginia; her granddaughter Karen Creech and her children Mr. and Mrs. J. Michael Pollard, Jr. of Chatsworth, Georgia, and Cameron Whisnant of Columbia, South Carolina; and her granddaughter Sarah Watson, her husband Robert Watson, and their daughters Mae and Zoe, all of Delaware. Those who knew and loved Mrs. Harvey can easily join in the words written in praise of her work as president of the West Virginia Conference of the WSCS, and believe those words equally applicable to her life's work: "Always determined to pursue the best interests of ... Christian Service, she found it possible to maintain great patience and easily gained the loyal cooperation of others. Perhaps Lib Harvey is best portrayed as a gracious lady under all circumstances and the impact of her influence in her short tenure of office has been immeasurable." She will be sorely missed. A graveside funeral service will be conducted at the mausoleum of Monte Vista Park Cemetery, Rt. 21, Old Bluefield Princeton Road, Bluefield, West Virginia at 11 a.m., Tuesday, September 4, 2007. Immediately thereafter, the family will receive extended family for lunch at Fincastle Country Club, 100 Country Club Lane, Bluefield, Virginia. The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made in memory of Mrs. J.T. Harvey to Capital Hospice, Attn: Development Office, 6565 Arlington Blvd., Suite 500, Falls Church, Va., 22042. Those wishing to share memories or condolence messages with the family may do so by visiting www.MercerFuneralHome.com. Mercer Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the family of Elizabeth Harvey.
Published in the Roanoke Times from 9/2/2007 - 9/3/2007.
U.S., Social Security Death Index
Name: Elizabeth A. Harvey
Last Residence: 20181 Nokesville, Prince William, Virginia, USA
BORN: 13 Apr 1914
Died: 14 Aug 2007
State (Year) SSN issued: West Virginia (Before 1951)
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1914 - 2007 (93 years)
