Berva Elma (Willis) Harvey was born October 19, 1896 in Neosho County, Kansas, the daughter of Louis K. and Alice Elma(Comer)Willis. She grew up in the Galesburg area and graduated from Parsons High School and later attended Normal School and Business College in Parsons. After receiving her schooling, she taught for a short time at the Sand Hill Rural School near Galesburg, and later worked as a secretary for Shaw Motor Works in Galesburg before her marriage.

On September 11, 1921 she was married to Frank H. Harvey at her parents' home near Galesburg. They shared nearly 55 years of married life together before the death of Mr. Harvey on May 12, 1976.

In 1944 Berva and her husband co-owned and operated a Firestone Store. Her husband was mayor of Burlington and they were both active in the community. She was responsible for designing the emblem for the Lake Region RC & D Project Plan. She also worked as a secretary and stenographer at the Coffey County Soil Conservation Service office in Burlington for many years until her retirement.

Mrs. Harvey was a member of the United Methodist Church, a former secretary for the church, a Sunday School teacher for the Livewire Sunday School class and was a long time member of the church choir; a long time member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood; and a member of the Martha Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, where she served as chapter organist for many years.

She was a natural born pianist and artist. She enjoyed singing, and playing the organ and piano. She loved painting with oil and watercolors, and enjoyed drawing and handcrafts. She had also taken coursework from the Kansas City Art Institute for many years.

She is survived by two daughters, Virginia Louise Robrahn, and her husband, Vance of Ottawa, Kansas, and Barbara Johan Hart of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; two brothers, William C. Willis of Parsons, Kansas, and Cecil Lon Willis of Omaha, Nebraska; nine grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Mrs. Harvey was preceded in death by her husband; two sisters; five brothers; and a grandson, Vance Max Robrahn,II.

{bio courtesy of Ann(Blaker)Killebrew}


Name, birth/death info. and family links oprovided by FAG contributor, Kim A.