Obit: Harvey, Wells Fox (1879 - 1971)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Harvey, Lux, Hancox, Lauscher, Zank, Mathis, Fox,

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 3/04/1971

Harvey, Wells Fox (21 January 1879 - 25 February 1971)

Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the United Church of Christ in Neillsville for Wells Fox Harvey, who died February 25, 1971, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Mr. Harvey has served for more than 32 years as publisher of The Clark County Press. He was 92.

The Rev. George Yons, pastor o United Church of Christ, will be in charge. Also taking part will be Ivan W. Lauscher, Neillsville School Superintendent; Miss Eileen Zank, organist; and Mrs. Edison Mathis, former staff member of The Press, vocalist.

In St. Petersburg at the time of his death at 4 p.m. in Bayfront Medical Center were four sons and a daughter-in-law; E. William Harvey of Phoenix, Ariz.; Robert W. Harvey, present editor of The Clark County Press, who had been associated with Mr. Harvey in the publication since August, 1938; Mr. and Mrs. John D. Harvey of Rockford, Ill.; and Dr. Wells F. Harvey, Jr., Denver, Colo., internist. Unable because of illness to be present were Mr. Harvey’s daughters, Mrs. Frances Lux of Denver, Colo.; and Mrs. Robert (Margaret) Hancox of Kansas City, Mo.

Mr Harvey had been in failing health since his return from a visit to Neillsville and Rockford, Ill., last summer. He contracted a respiratory infection on his return to Sunny Shores Villa, where he had made his home for the last three years. He was in Bayfront Medical Center for about a week in January, and returned there February 16.

The son of a physician and surgeon, and the grandson of a physician and surgeon; Mr. Harvey was born January 21, 1879, in Bancroft, Mich. His mother, Belle (Fox) Harvey, came with the family to Neillsville in 1938, and spent more than a year in residence here.

Mr. Harvey’s father, Ezra Wilson Harvey, on two occasions spent a year in medical study in St. Thomas Hospital, London England; and on one occasion took his small son and wife along with him. He also studied medicine in Paris, France, and Edinburg, Scotland.

“Major,” as Mr. Harvey was called in those early years in Bancroft, was the apple of his grandfather’s eye. He told of frequently accompanying his grandfather on buggy trips into the countryside to attend patients; of wrapping up in a big bearskin robe and with heated soap stones on the floorboard to keep their feet warm.

Mr. Harvey remained active until 1958, when he relinquished some of his duties and started spending the winters in Florida. In 1965, he sold The Press to his son Robert, who promptly published the newspaper under the title of “Wells F. Harvey’s Son,” and listed Mr. Harvey as publisher.

Mr. Harvey continued active connection and interest in the newspaper and the community until his last illness. He remained in charge of the annual New Year Edition of The Clark County Press, which has become a fixture among people of Clark County.

About three years ago, and about a year after the death February 21, 1966, of Mrs. Harvey, Mr. Harvey sold their home in Winter Haven, Fla., and moved to Sunny Shores Villa in St. Petersburg. He remained a resident there until his death.

Burial will be made in the Fox-Harvey family plot in Fremont Cemetery at Bancroft, Mich. A graveside Memorial Service is planned there in the spring or early summer.

(Also see Bio for him)