Themann

Joseph Seep Harvey

July 17, 1920 - November 25, 2008

Nov. 26, 2008 JOSEPH S. HARVEY 88, of 6 Oakwood Dr. Oil City, PA.. died at 5:08 P.M. Tuesday Nov. 25, 2008 at UPMC N/W following an extended illness. Born in Titusville, PA. on July 17, 1920 son of the late John J. and Alice Gertrude Harvey. He grew up in Titusville and graduated from Titusville High School in 1937. His grandfather was Joseph Seep, an early oil and banking baron who worked for John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company, and later was president of Oil City Trust Company. Joe Harvey would later serve with distinction at that bank's successor, First Seneca Bank. Joe graduated from Georgetown University in 1941 and came home to Titusville to work as a chemist for the Pennsylvania Refining Co., moving shortly thereafter to Pennzoil in Oil City. When WW II broke out, Mr. Harvey served as a captain in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific Theatre in Iwo Jima and the Philippines. When he came home from the war, he went to work at the Oil City Trust Company as a messenger. He liked to tell the story of the beautiful blonde who worked at Bache & Co. and came into the bank everyday. He asked someone who she was and found out that she'd been asking about him, too. Joe Harvey and Barbara Morgan were married on April 30, 1949, in the St. Joseph Church Rectory. She preceded him on Nov. 1, 2002. Mr. Harvey worked his way up through the ranks at the bank his grandfather once led. In 1954, the year that Oil City Trust Company became First Seneca Bank and Trust Co., he was named assistant secretary and treasurer. Following several subsequent promotions, Mr. Harvey was named president and chief executive officer in 1966, a position he held until his retirement in 1985. On December 31, 1983 , he became vice chairman and chief executive officer for Pennbankcorp, a multibank holding company. First Seneca was one of three banks under the Pennbancorp umbrella. He also served as chairman of United Data Services, Inc., a Pennbank subsidiary, and as a director of Pennbank. Mr. Harvey was a member of the Pennsylvania Bankers Association and the American Bankers Association. In 1970, he was named by the Pennsylvania Secretary of Banking as one of two Commonwealth representatives of the National Association of Supervisors of State Banks, an association of state bank supervisors organized to protect the dual system of banking. Under his leadership, First Seneca grew from 12 to 49 offices throughout western Pennsylvania, with holdings increasing from $100 to $895 million. Widely respected for his devotion to the community, Mr. Harvey was one of the driving forces behind the development of Clarion University-Venango Campus in 1960, serving as treasurer of the campaign when community leaders raised more than $350.000 to purchase 62 acres of land in the West End of Oil City and build the first building, Frame Hall. In 1984, he was nominated by Governor Dick Thornburgh to Clarion University's Council of Trustees, were he served for 13 years, as vice chairman from 1985-1987 and as chairman for 1988-1990. He also served as a Clarion University Foundation Board member from 1987 until 1992, and was a member of its Finance Committee. He remained an active member of the Venango Campus Advisory Council for many years, serving as its chair from 1986-1987. In 1994, Mr. Harvey joined the steering committee of the university's capital campaign and served that committee through the end of the campaign in 2000. He was actively involved in securing contributions for the university as well as providing generous, personal financial support. Following Mrs. Harvey's death, Mr. Harvey and his children established the Barbara Morgan Harvey Center for the Study of Oil Heritage in her memory in 2003, in the Charles L. Suhr Library at Venango Campus. The Center serves as a repository for Mrs. Harvey's large collection of books, documents, and historical memorabilia. It offers scholars, students, and the community a place for discussion and study of Pennsylvania's oil region. In addition, the Harvey family created an endowment to support ongoing educational activities at the Center to bring that history to life. Mr. Harvey served as president of the Oil City Chamber of Commerce, vice chairman of the Oil City Redevelopment Authority, and incorporator of the Oil City Health Center, Inc., and director,treasurer and chair of numerous fund drives for the United Fund. He was also a member of St. Joseph Church, the Oil City Club, Wanango Country Club, the Franklin Club and the Knights of Columbus . Mr. Harvey was elected chairman of the Board of Library Associates at his alma mater, Georgetown University, in 1986, an organization of which he was a founding member. Mr. Harvey used his banking acumen to help many area residents for generations to come. Because of his initiative, necessary steps were taken to transform the Samuel Justus Charitable Trust from a limited fund to one that aids many Venango County residents and organizations. Several other charitable trusts later followed that plan. Over the years, several organizations recognized Mr. Harvey for his outstanding civic involvement. In 1986, he received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Thiel College. The French Creek Council of the Boy Scouts of America honored him in 1987 with the Distinguished Citizens Award. Mr. & Mrs. Harvey were honored by the Oil City Chamber of Commerce as the Outstanding Man & Women of 1995. Clarion University recognized Mr. Harvey's more than four decades of dedicated advocacy for higher education in the region with the 2004 Distinguished Volunteer Award. Joe Harvey remarried on Feb. 14, 2004 to the former Martha Autenrieth Sarver in the Good Hope Lutheran Church and she survives along with Joe's four children and spouses n Joseph and Susan Harvey Bethel, Maine n Thomas and Patricia Harvey Pleasanton,CA n David and Jean Harvey Slippery Rock n Judith Harvey Sarasota,FL 6 grandchildren and their spouses n Nathan and Kimberly Harvey Glen, NH n Brett & Hattie Harvey Golden, CO n Matthew & Kristen Harvey Livermore, CA n Michelle & Kyle Steffenhauer Pleasanton, CA n Johanna Harvey Washington,DC n Caroline Harvey Greensboro, NC 5 step children and their spouses n Philip Sarver & Rita Craig Clarion n Beth & Joe Psalmonds Shreveport ,LA n Rebecca & Walt Bloom Oil City n Mark & Linda Sarver Leheighton n Stephen & Kim Sarver New Bern, NC sister in-law - Barbara Harvey Clemmons,NC niece - Lisa Raines Clemmons,NC nephew - James Harvey Titusville Several nieces and nephews also survive. He was preceded in death by 3 brothers John, James and Paul Harvey and an infant sister Mary and a sister in law Jocelyn Morgan Kirkwood and her husband Elmer. The family will receive friends from 10:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. Friday in the Reinsel Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will then be Celebrated at 1:00 P.M. Friday in St. Joseph Church. Msgr. John W. Swoger and Pastor Philip H. Scherr of the Good Hope Lutheran Church will preside. Internment will follow at St. Catherine's Cemetery in Titusville. Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Church Development Fund or to a charity of ones choice. Condolences may be sent at www.reinselfuneralhome.com -