George Wells Harvey

George Wells Harvey, Jr., 90, passed away peacefully Monday, November 23, 2015 in Lakeland, Florida. George was born to Edythe Cannon and George Wells Harvey, Sr. in Chattanooga, Tennessee on May 25, 1925. As a boy, he enjoyed fishing and playing football for his alma mater Chattanooga Central High School where he earned the nickname "Lefty." He graduated in 1944 and enlisted in the United States Navy soon after. George was stationed in San Diego, California, Pearl Harbor and the Ulithi Atoll on the island of Mog Mog in the Pacific Ocean on the U.S.S. Prairie until the war ended. He served under the high commands of Admirals William Halsey and Chester Nemitz. While on Mog Mog, he and his shipmates entertained themselves on the one square mile island by turning one of the local iguanas into their pet that they walked around the island on a leash. After his honorable discharge in 1946, George married Martha Frances Rhea June 15, 1947 in Fayetteville, Tennessee. They vacationed in the Great Smoky Mountains and resided in Coral Gables, Florida while he worked for Harper Construction Company. They had two children, David and Jennifer and were married until her death in 1985. George was a very hands-on father who always supported his children and often attended their sports games and practices. George and Frances moved back to Tennessee where they lived in Johnson City, Knoxville, Pulaski, Tennessee, eventually moving to Birmingham, Alabama. He worked for O.B. Andrews where he was appointed General Foreman in 1951, Consolidated Packaging Corp. and finally he found his work home at Boise-Cascade. He worked for 20 years in the manufacturing and sales departments where he was also appointed General Sales Manager until his retirement in 1985. He attended the Dale Carnegie course "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and was never the same thereafter. George met Sally Karlgaard and they were married June 6, 1987 in Jackson, Tennessee. She had a two year old granddaughter, Sunnye, whom he helped raise as his own. George and Sunnye enjoyed fishing, parades and riding elephants at the circus. George and Sally moved to Lakeland, Florida in 1997 to be with his granddaughter and her mother, Susan. They built a house on a lake where daily he either took his boat out to fish or fished off of the sea wall. George was a man of great integrity, honor and humor. He loved to meet new people and make everyone smile. His favorite hobbies were fishing, enthusiastically watching University of Tennessee football and enjoying his family. George was predeceased by his two brothers Richard E. Harvey and Gilbert C. Harvey and his first wife Frances Harvey. George is survived by his wife Sally Harvey (Lakeland, FL), children David Harvey and wife Cindy (Knoxville, TN) and Jennifer Harvey Frye and husband Joseph (Roanoke, VA), stepchildren Susan Sartain (Lakeland, FL) and Shari Garrett and husband Thomas (Lakeland, FL), grandchildren Christy Castleberry and husband Mark (Knoxville, TN), Britt Clinton and wife Kari (Knoxville, TN), Sunnye Orozco and husband Carlos (Lakeland, FL), Matthew Garrett (Lakeland, FL) and Annie Garrett (Lakeland, FL), great-grandchildren Baylor, Tinsley and Wells Clinton, Marleigh and Grant Castleberry, Alexis, Sophia and Evan Orozco. Visitation will be held from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Saturday November 28, 2015 at Heath Funeral Chapel in Lakeland, Florida. The funeral service will follow at 4:00 pm. He will later be inurned at First United Methodist Church in Lakeland, Florida. In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to First United Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida. Service: 11/28/2015 Heath Funeral Chapel 328 South Ingraham Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801 Heath Funeral Chapel Visitation: 11/28/2015 Heath Funeral Chapel