Marvin Harvey

Marvin Earl Harvey went to be with his Lord on Thursday, March 15, 2019. He was born in Pelham, Georgia on Sept. 26, 1926 and is preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife of 49 years, Willie Odessa McClendon Harvey. Marvin was born to poor sharecropper parents and learned early that "You don't quit until the job is finished and, on a farm, the job is never finished." He became a Christian at the age of eight and the first thing he did was present a petition to the Lord. The petition was simple. He wanted a Christian wife, a home of his own and children raised in that same Christian home. His faith in Jesus and his perseverance would make him who he was and guide him for the rest of his life. Marvin graduated from Pelham High School in Georgia in 1946. He joined the Army in 1948 and worked his way up to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer Two (CWO2). In the Army he worked as a Civil Engineer and Surveyor/Topographer. During his stint of 20 years he was stationed in Texas, Canada, Panama, Greenland, Germany, Korea, Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina. In 1952, while being on station at Fort Wolters, near Mineral Wells, Texas, he met his best friend and future wife, Willie, and they married on May 17, 1954. Shortly after his retirement from the Army in 1971, Marvin became the Assistant Camp Manager at Camp Copass a small year-round Christian camp in Denton, Texas. After saving the camp from closing and being sold at auction, he moved back to Mineral Wells and began a career with Mitchell Energy as the Manager of the pipe yard. At about the same time he became the pastor of First Baptist Church in Pleasant Valley, a small community outside Mineral Wells. Marvin worked at Southwester Gas for 20 years while still also managing to be a full-time pastor for the people in the Valley. He continued as pastor for 35 years at First Baptist Church of Pleasant Valley. His vision of the church is that it should be making a difference in the lives of the community where it serves. He was true to that vision. Marvin loved his family deeply and served them as fully as he served the Army and the church. He was proud of all three of his children and treasured the time he spent with them, especially family meals. His grandchildren were dear to his heart and he developed a special bond with his older grandson, Donovan, after cancer took his son-in-law Don. Marvin never let any of his children or grandchildren leave without saying, "I wouldn't trade my family for any other family in the world." Survivors include, his children, Roland Earl Harvey, Nettie Ruth Burkhalter, Walter Dale Harvey and daughters-in-law Kim Bishop Harvey and Susan Strodel Harvey; grandsons Donovan Nicholas Burkhalter and Matthew Dale Harvey and a sister Gertrude Harvey Williams. He was preceded in death by his parents Clay Harvey and Nettie Mae Britt Harvey, both of Georgia and his siblings Verma Butler, Homer Harvey, Julia Harvey, James Harvey, Eugene Harvey, Robert Harvey and Sarah Harvey Fulghum and by his son-in-law Roy Eldon Burkhalter. His service will be held at Baum Carlock Bumgardner Funeral Home in Mineral Wells, Tx at 10am on March 23rd. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery. There will be a public viewing on Friday, March 22nd from 6 to 8pm. The funeral home is located at 302 West Hubbard Street, Mineral Wells, TX 76067 Phone: 940.325.4422. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First Baptist Church of Pleasant Valley: Summer Camp Fund, FBC Pleasant Valley, 3071 Pleasant Valley Road, Mineral Wells, Tx 76067.