Clarksville's Abner Brown Harvey III, 90, left legacy of service, philanthropy

Clarksville residents are mourning the death of an esteemed community leader and philanthropist.

Abner Brown Harvey III died Dec. 27. He was 90.

A community pillar, businessman and father, Harvey's death has left a noticeable void - though his legacy lives on through his four children, five grandchildren, five great grandchildren and a lifetime of philanthropic work and community service to his hometown.

His daughters, Deborah H. Suiter, Mary Beth Harvey and Lydia H. Elmore, and son, John Michael Harvey, said he never met a stranger.

“In the grocery store line, it didn’t matter where, he’d just start talking to whoever was in front of him or (behind) him,” Elmore said.

"He loved being around people," Michael Harvey added. "Wherever he could find people, that's where he went because he loved being around people."

Church, Civitan and Community

Born Dec. 12, 1931 in Clarksville, Abner Harvey made a name for himself in the city he grew up in.

In addition to co-owning Byers & Harvey Real Estate and Insurance, he held several other titles, including Deacon of the First Christian Church, 1988 Leadership Clarksville member, former President of the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce and Board of Directors member of Guaranty Federal Savings Bank.

He was chairman of the public building authority from 2003-09.

But his roots began with The Leaf-Chronicle in April 1946, when he took a job as a newsboy during his senior year at Clarksville High School.

He received two routes, delivering about 145 papers and averaging about $18 a week.

At 17, Abner Harvey was featured in the newspaper after saving money – advice given to him by his late father – from his newsboy job to put a down payment a jeep.

But nothing was more important than his local philanthropic projects.

Abner Harvey believed in the power of community and demonstrated that belief through decades of service with the Clarksville Downtown Civitan Club.

Initiated in December 1957, Abner Harvey went on to serve as club president during the 1962-63 Civitan year and participate in many of the club’s service projects, including APSU Scholarships, local Boy Scouts, Junior Civitan and working with individuals with Intellectual Disabilities through Progressive Directions, Inc.

In 2021, he received life membership status from club members.

“His dedication to Civitan was greatly known and felt in the Clarksville Community,” Harvey’s obituary read, and as the club’s official historian, he reminded its members of the organization’s community impact through the years.

Church was also a big deal for him.

“He was born and raised in (First Christian Church), and it was very important to him,” Suiter said.

Abner Harvey loved helping organize First Christian Church’s food room – an ongoing event today – where Nashville-based Second Harvest Food Bank brought food donated from area stores to hand out in the community, his family remembered.

Family, servant, best friend

“He was a provider, he really was, he just wanted to make sure we were taken care of,” Beth Harvey said.

Along with his unmistakable talent for making a mean Bloody Mary, Abner Harvey enjoyed golf, had a real sense of humor and loved the Tennessee Volunteers – where a beloved pair of bright orange overalls made recurring appearances on tailgating trips.

He also enjoyed organizing class reunions.

As chairman of the 1950 Clarksville High School Senior Class Reunion group, Abner Harvey spearheaded nearly a dozen class reunions over the years.

“They were all very close,” Suiter said. “He loved getting it together, keeping up with who was where and who had kids, how many kids.

“He was always keeping everybody in the class informed of everything going on in everybody else’s lives,” she laughed.

As for serving his community, one thing remained fundamentally important.

“Giving,” Elmore said.

Her sister Beth Harvey added, “Giving of himself and not really wanting to be in the forefront of doing it – he was always the worker bee in the background and loved doing that part of it.

“He just loved serving anybody and everybody,” the siblings agreed.

“If he said he was going to do something, he did it (and taught us) to be true to your word,” Suiter said.

“And to be on time,” Elmore joked.

Abner Harvey’s accomplishments extended beyond Clarksville as well.

He appeared in the 1956 edition of Outstanding Young Men of America (1953-54), according to his obituary – traits his son Michael Harvey and late father, Abner Brown Harvey II, also share.

Three generations of Harveys received the national award, which dates back to the mid-1900s.

Published in an annual book, the award recognizes the outstanding ability, accomplishments and service of young men to the community.

Abner Harvey was preceded in death by his wife, Bettie B. Harvey, and parents Abner Brown Harvey II and Mary Elizabeth Senseney.

Katie Nixon can be reached at knixon@gannett.com or (615) 517-1285.

This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Clarksville's Abner Brown Harvey III, 90, left legacy of service, philanthropy