Elmer Eugene Harvey Tribute

Elmer Eugene "Who" Harvey, 86, passed away May 28, 2009. 

He was born August 16, 1922 in Wichita, KS. Elmer graduated from Friends University in 1945 and the University of Kansas Law School in 1948. During his time at Friends University he first learned about Co-ops. He also developed his social conscience and commitment to Peace and Justice issues.

In 1945, he met Mary Alice Whitson at a work camp sponsored by the American Friends Service committee in Indianapolis, IN. He arrived late, of course. And she answered the door covered in soot from cleaning out the boiler in the co-op canning factory; he never did see what she looked like clean! It was love at first sight.

Elmer and Mary Alice were married on Sept. 3, 1946 when Mary Alice got tired of attempting to read his handwriting in the daily love letters.

They lived in Lawrence, KS for two years while Elmer completed law school. After receiving his law degree from the University of Kansas in 1948, Elmer and Mary Alice moved to Minnesota, a state they felt was a good representative of their progressive ideals and ideology due to the influence of Hubert Humphrey and the DFL at that time. Other sources indicated that Elmer also felt drawn to Minnesota because of its many co-ops, trees, and Lake Superior.

Elmer worked for Mutual Service Insurance. He was active in and held various offices in local co-ops, local government, and local, district and state DFL. They lived in the Twin Cities area from until 1965. During this period they had four children who provided much entertainment and consternation to Elmer and Mary Alice.  

In 1965 he and his family moved to the North Shore where he owned and operated Solbakken Resort at Lutsen and practiced law in Grand Marais. They moved to Grand Marais in 1971. He also served as a probate judge and examiner of titles. In his position of Cook County Judge Elmer gained respect for his fairness and humor.

Elmer also was a noted hobbyist whose primary focus was his engineering and building projects. He has left behind finely constructed shelves among other things. He also infamous in Grand Marais for his construction and use of a scaffolding made of slabs discarded from the saw mills. Notable projects also went on for years at the "towers."

In 1993, Elmer and Mary Alice moved to Duluth, Mn. where they were active in the Duluth-Superior friends meeting. Elmer particularly loved to spend his summers at Mesaba Co-op Park on the Iron Range. He enjoyed the woods and connection to nature. He could be found working on various building projects or causing a ruckus in the sauna.

Additionally, Elmer spent much time during this period of his life researching family history and making many jokes about his ancestors and the time he spent photographing tombstones.

The effects of Elmer's life will be felt for a long time to come. His quiet way of influencing people through his lived principles will be carried on by the surviving family who has inherited an irreverent sense of humor and dedication to issues of equality, peace and social justice.