Harvey Ely
Celebrating the life of Harvey Carl Ely, 89, of Okarche, was 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 24, in the First Christian Church, Perry
The Rev. Josh Bell, pastor, and the Rev. Craig Vandeburgh officiated.
Burial followed at Red Rock Cemetery.
The arrangements were under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home, El Reno.
Harvey was born Dec. 19, 1931, in Pawnee, to Claude Jr. and Gladys Marie (Hauser) Ely.
Most of the time, he lived with his grandparents, Harve and Mable Wilson, on their Bar Lo Registered Hereford Ranch where he learned his lifelong value of hard work and the love of animals.
He graduated from Red Rock High School in 1949 and was class president.
Harvey received a bachelor’s degree in agriculture science in 1954 from Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University).
In 1954, he married Naveda Lee Wise in the First Christian Church of Perry They were married 66 years and seven months.
Most of their married lives they worked together in farming and ranching and later in the funeral service business.
Their marriage was blessed with two daughters, Dee Ann and Linda Lee.
He and his lifelong friend, Duane Burnside, established a home construction business, Cimarron Construction, in 1959 in Albuquerque, N.M., and in 1961 his “Granny” called him home to manage the ranch.
The couple lived on the Barlow Ranch, raised Hereford and Charolais cattle and farmed wheat for 26 years.
Harvey taught Dee and Linda to ride horseback, fish, care for animals and love the outdoors. He helped groom 4-H sheep and cattle and get rabbits and chickens ready for the fair.
They helped their dad feed and move machinery.
He provided the best childhood you could ask for. He was non-judgmental and a tender, loving father and husband.
He had a quiet and sweet spirit about him.
Harvey enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, restoring tractors, playing golf, bowling, restoring and repurposing things, and woodworking.
He could repair most anything. He did water color painting and has one he painted of the original Otoe-Missouri Tribal Building at the agency hanging in the hall of the new building.
In 1975, he earned a private pilot’s license and belonged to the Perry Flying Club.
In 1988, he and Naveda enrolled at Central State University (now University of Central Oklahoma) in Edmond. He graduated with a bachelor’s in funeral service in 1989.
Harvey received his funeral director-embalmer license in 1989 and Naveda was licensed in 1991. The couple moved to Laverne in 1990 where they managed Seeger funeral homes in Laverne and Buffalo, Oklahoma.
While he conducted funerals in Texas, he acquired a Texas funeral license.
In 1992, they purchased Hills Funeral Home in Medford from Steve and Terry Huston. They operated Hills-Ely Funeral Home until they sold to Irene Lanman in 2011.
After working a year-and-a-half part-time for Irene, they retired in 2013 and moved to Okarche.
Harvey was active in the First Christian Church of Medford serving as elder, deacon, chairman of the board and other committees.
He was a 32nd Degree Master Mason for 66 years and served as Worshipful Master of the Red Rock and Medford Masonic Lodges, a member of Red Rock and Medford Order of the Eastern Star, a member of the Otoe-Missouri Tribe, served on the Red Rock Farmers Cooperative Board and Red Rock Town Board.
He was past president of the Quarter Horse Association, American Paint Horse Association, Medford Golf Club, Medford Chamber of Commerce, Oklahoma Funeral Directors Association, National Funeral Directors Association and Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association.
Harvey was preceded in death by his parents Claude and Gladys; sister Blanche Ellen Osborne and brother-in-law Clair Osborne; sister Nancy Ann Ely; nephew Joseph Russell; sons-in law Franklin William Kraus Sr. and James Lambert; and grandparents Mable and Harve Wilson and Karl and Edith Hauser.
Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Naveda Lee of the home; two daughters, Dee Ann Lambert and Linda Lee (Joey) Pyeatt; grandchildren Ryan (Karyn) Mcllvain and Franklin William (Kara) Kraus Jr., of Okarche, Andy (Ryan) Canady, Mike El-Dabaghi, Lauren El-Dabaghi, Christina El-Dabaghi, Joseph El-Dabaghi, all of Dallas; eight great-grandchildren, Abigail Grace, Henry Ray, William Harvey, Daniel Ryan and Caroline Ranae Mcllvain, Matthew Ryan and Addlyn Mae Kraus, and Jenna Catherine Canady; eight nieces, Reta (Ron) Norton, Teresa (Tom) Sayre, Anne (Paul) Piccirillo, GiGi (Ray) Webb, Jennifer Gammill, Lynn Russell, Amanda (Roy) Harris, Gayla (Edward) Thompson; three nephews, Scott and Chad Wise and Justus Hyatt; cousins, other relatives and many friends.
In memory of Harvey, donations may be made to City Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 960021, Oklahoma City, OK, 73196-0021 or the First Christian Church, 701 Holly St., Perry, OK, 73077.