Ollie Mae Harvey

Mrs. Ollie Harvey, former mayor of Ripley, West Virginia, passed away peacefully at home on December 1, 2024 at the age of 91 with her family by her side.

Mrs. Harvey leaves behind a legacy of leadership, kindness and unwavering dedication to her family and community.

Born on August 25, 1933 in Logan, WV, Ollie was the daughter of Robert and Leona Saunders Phillips. Ollie graduated from Man High School and attended Morris Harvey College.

Mrs. Harvey served as the mayor of Ripley with distinction, bringing vision, integrity and compassion to her role. Her tenure was marked by numerous achievements. She was deeply committed to improving the lives of Ripley and Jackson County residents and her contributions left a lasting impact on the city she loved so dearly. She was integral in the founding of the Jackson County Improvement Council, the Jackson County Community Foundation and in 1998 the establishment of Main Street Ripley.

In addition to her public service, Ollie was a cherished member of the Ripley community. Whether spearheading local initiatives, offering mentorship to aspiring leaders or volunteering for charitable causes, she always put others before herself. Her warm smile and uplifting spirit touched the lives of all who knew her. She was a beacon of love and light to so many.

A poised and eloquent public speaker, she wore many hats and accomplished much over the years. In addition to working for the WV DNR promoting conservation and being a realtor with Gorrell Realty some of these included holding local, state and national offices with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, American Mothers and National Random Acts of Kindness. A breast cancer survivor, she was a huge supporter of Relay for Life.

Ollie was an active member of Epworth United Church since moving to Ripley and joining in 1958 filling many roles over the years. Her final role was that of district lay leader.

Ollie had a deep love for her family. She is survived by three daughters:

Lea Ann (Charlie) Cline, Teresa Carmichael and Michele Sturkey as well as grandchildren Eric (Melissa) Cline, Evan (Emily) Cline, Alyssa (Travis) Parkulo, Andrea (Chase) Lafferty and Teresa Marie Sturkey and great grandchildren Sloane, Clara Mae and Oliver (“Ollie”), who will forever treasure her wisdom, grace and unconditional love. She is also survived by sister Mary Ellen Wilson, brother Bill Phillips and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by husband Donald T. Harvey in 2016, her parents, sister Barbara Browning and brothers Bob, Don and Rupert Phillips.

A celebration of Ollie Harvey’s life will be held on Friday, December 6 at 2:00 p.m. at Epworth United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Ken Krimmel officiating. Friends and family are invited to come together to honor her memory and share stories of her remarkable life. Visitation will take place prior to the service from 12 noon until 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in memory of Ollie to Epworth United Methodist Church – general fund – 299 N. Church Street, Ripley, WV 25271 or Main Street Ripley, 210 Main Street West, Ripley, WV 25271 reflecting her lifelong commitment to others.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to her caregivers Midge Johnson and Brittany Huffman as well as her HospiceCare team: Debbie, Sam, Scott, Sarah, Chris and Chaplain Pete.

Online memories and condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.waybrightfuneralhome.com