Helen Harvey

Celebration of Life Services for Helen I. Harvey, 97, will be held at Asbury Methodist Church in Bettendorf on Monday, November 5, 2018 at 11:00 A.M.  A Visitation will be held at Asbury United Methodist Church from 9:30 A.M. until service time.

Helen passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, October 31st surrounded by her family and the compassionate staff at The Fountains.

Helen was born Aug 6, 1921 in Stuart Iowa to Luvena B (Secoy) Ratliff and Thomas “Ray” Ratliff.  Her father died when she was an infant and she was raised by her mother and stepfather Ed Knapp with her brother Warren, half-sisters Luvena and Rose, and half-brother John.  She graduated from Stuart High School in 1939 and taught for a time in a one room school house.

Helen married William R. Harvey in the Stuart Friends Church on Christmas Day in 1942.  After his service in WWII, she began a full-time career as a Life Partner, Mom, Volunteer, and Grandma in Des Moines and Bettendorf.

Helen was extremely active in the Asbury United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Garden Club, Bridge Club, Circle, with stints volunteering in Sunday School, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts, including her role as chairperson of the cookie drive long after her kids were grown.

Left to honor her memory are her daughter Kris (Ross) Wirth of Broken Arrow, OK, son Vern (Chris) Harvey of Bettendorf, sister Luvena Bennett of Redfield, IA, grandchildren Mitch Harvey and Megan Harvey of Bettendorf, Sara (Kevin) Love of Portland, OR, James (Shawnda) Wirth of Broken Arrow, OK and great-grandkids Max White of Ft Myers, Fl, Nic Harvey of Bettendorf, Joshua Love of Portland, and Ryker, Reese, and Remington Wirth of Broken Arrow.

Helen and William were married 73 years until his passing in 2016.  Also preceding her were brothers, Warren, John, and sister Rose, and in 2013, a son Bill, Jr.

Memorials may be made to Asbury United Methodist Church where she was a 67-year member and the VFW which was especially special to Helen, who remembered fondly the care and support they provided her mother after she was widowed.

The family wishes to express its gratitude to all staff at The Fountains for their wonderful loving care, treating her like a family member.