Mark S. Harvey, age 90, of Flora, Illinois, passed away January 11, 2022.

     Mark Sterling Harvey was born July 12, 1931, in Potter County, Pennsylvania.  He was the first-born to Mark G. and Eloise (Buckley) Harvey, and had two younger siblings, Jane and Garey.  His parents wanted to name him after his late grandfather, Ray, but due to family objections he was named Mark, after his father.  His parents and family called him Ray his whole life – but when he married, his wife (Mary Jo) wanted him to be called Mark, and henceforth he was known as Mark.

     Mark and his family lived in Pennsylvania during his childhood, but during his teenage years, when his father started working for Halliburton, Mark and his family moved frequently – from Pennsylvania to Illinois, and many places around central and southern Illinois.  During his high school years, he worked detasseling corn and, in a bit of foreshadowing, as an ice cream scooper at Park Dairy in Mattoon, IL.  He graduated from Crossville High School in Crossville, IL, in 1949, and in the summer of 1950 he and his family moved to Mt. Pleasant, MI.  Soon after, he followed in his father’s footsteps and began working for Halliburton, and in the summer of 1951, when his mother urged him to “come meet the cute girl playing piano at church,” he met his wife.  Mark and Mary Jo (Childs) Harvey were wed in Mt. Pleasant, MI, on April 11, 1952.

     Shortly after their wedding, Mark was drafted into the Army and the couple moved to Fort Knox, KY, for basic training.  Mark was then stationed in Kaiserslautern, Germany for 14 months, and while he was overseas Mary Jo gave birth to their first daughter, Shara Rae, in April 1953.  When Mark returned from his Army service in 1954, he and Mary Jo moved to Flora, IL, with Halliburton, where they lived for 30 years and welcomed three more children:  Marjorie Lee (April, 1955), Jeffery Dee (February, 1960), and Joni Louise (October, 1966).    

     Mark worked for Halliburton for 20 years, and after his “retirement” in 1971, he and Mary Jo purchased the Ranch Motel in Flora, where they made taking care of patrons a family affair.  In 1978, they sold the motel and purchased the Ice Cream Round-Up in Louisville, where Mark once again served ice cream and treats.  In the mid-80s, they moved to Amarillo, TX, and managed apartment complexes, and then “re-retired” by moving into a 5^th-wheel and managing RV parks while traveling out west.  They loved the RV lifestyle, the southwest, Texas, and one of their favorite RV parks in Fun Valley, CO, where they spent 7 summers living and working.  In 2000, Mark and Mary Jo “officially retired” and settled down, once again in Flora, where their roots went back almost 50 years.

     In addition to Halliburton, the Ranch Motel, and the Ice Cream Round-Up, Mark was a school bus driver, an Exalted Ruler of the Flora Elks, and a member of the Board of Directors at Flora Bank & Trust.  Mark attended First Baptist Church, was a deacon at First Christian Church, and most recently attended New Beginnings Church.  In his retirement he stayed active – walking frequently, being a delivery driver for McDaniel Bros, and driving a bus for Clay County Industries.  He also spent several summers driving the Sno Cone cart around the south end of Flora, once again peddling cold sweets to kids of all ages. 

     Mark – also known as “Harv” by family and friends – was known for his no-nonsense gruff exterior and his warm heart.  He rarely complained, but expected rules to be adhered to – and was even known to make his grandchildren eat their popsicles in the bathtub because one (we won’t name names) was too messy with her push-pop.  He wanted his children and grandchildren to work hard, give more than 100%, be loyal, and take pride in what they did.  He and Mary Jo lived in Heritage Woods for over 3 years, and in April 2021 celebrated their 69^th wedding anniversary, an extraordinary milestone.

     Mark is survived by his sister, Jane (Harvey) Snyder, who says she learned these things from her big brother:  1) It’s okay to give your little brother and sister extra ice cream when you’re the one dipping; 2) You play extra hard when you know your family is in the stands cheering for you; 3) Finding a life partner who has similar values and expectations is worth gold; 4) Even though it is difficult to be sent to far-off places, you can leave knowing your family will take care of each other in your absence; 5) Coming home to a new child you’ve never seen before is pure joy; 6) The satisfaction of establishing your life in a small community and feeling as if you’re coming home again is what life is all about – raising your family in that environment makes it even better; 7) Nothing in a life well-lived comes without hard work and dedication; 8) Being retired doesn’t mean you stop being productive and doing good things for yourself and others, and finally; 9) “Do not go gentle into that good night” but know when it’s time to embrace the inevitable and rejoice in going home again for the first time.

     Mark passed on at Flora Care Center on January 11, 2022.  He was 90 years old.  He is survived by his sister, Jane; four children, Shara (Jeff) Wilkins, Marjorie (Bob) Schroeder, Jeff (Shari) Harvey, and Joni (Terry) Orand; eight grandchildren, Amy Simpson, Shannon Hurliman, Brandi Brown, Mallory Rae, Ashley Willison, Ryan Orand, Trenton Harvey, and Ariel Orand; 13 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

     Mark was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Jo; parents, Mark and Eloise Harvey; his in-laws Arthur and Minnie Childs; and his brother Garey Harvey.

  A Celebration of Life for Mark and Mary Jo Harvey will be held Saturday, May 7, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home from 1-2 pm, with a service following at 2 pm.  All are welcome to attend and share in remembering their lives with laughter and love.  Following the memorial service there will be a burial with military rights at Elmwood Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Clay County Hospice and will be accepted through the Frank & Bright funeral home.