Mrs. Norel W. Harvey

One of Blytheville's oldest citizens, Mrs. Norel W. Harvey, 105, died Saturday, October 15, 2016 at the Great River Medical Center in Blytheville.

She came to Blytheville in 1913 from Brownsville, Tennessee, the daughter of George and Lela Wilson. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her daughter Joyce, her sons Earl Bynum, Edgar Harvey and George Harvey, her beloved sister Mrs. Corine Perloat Askew and her brother Willie Gene Wilson.

She was a lifetime member of the West End Baptist Church, but served as the pianist for St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church and Progressive Baptist Church for many years. The Sunday, August 10, 2008 edition of the Blytheville Courier News did a feature story on her and showed a photo of her sitting at the piano as she celebrated her 97th birthday. She also received a key to the city from Mayor Barrett Harrison and a presentation from County Judge Steve McGuire at the time.

The newspaper also quoted her saying, "she began playing the piano at church when she was just 12-yearsd old and praised her parents for encouraging her to practice, practice, practice." She not only read music, but could also "play by ear" and could detect a song's key just by listening. She said that her favorite song to play was "Yes, God is Real".

Mrs. Harvey had been a business owner as well as working for the Mississippi County Arkansas Office of Economic Opportunity Commission. She had operated her parent's restaurant, the Gateway Café, which was a social club/café on Ash Street. She was employed by the MCAEOC as a neighborhood service center nutritionist. During the celebration of her 97th birthday, it was also noted that five generations of her family were present.

Mrs. Harvey leaves her son, Willie (Deborah Ann) Harvey, Jr., of Blytheville;

Fourteen grandchildren;

Funeral services will be held at noon on Saturday, October 22, 2016 at the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, 1630 West Street, with the pastor, Reverend Bennie Washington, officiating and with Reverend Andrew Mitchell giving the eulogy. Burial will follow at Gethsemane Gardens. The family will receive visitors from 11 a.m. until service time at the church.

Arrangements are by McDonald-Horne Funeral Home.