Harvey dies at age 89
Commissioner served 24 years, fought for equal rights
By Diana Royal Staff Writer

Commissioner Woodrow Harvey, who helped change Burke County's voting system and make the voice of black residents be heard, died Wednesday, Feb. 7, at age 89, after a brief battle with cancer.

Mr. Harvey, District 1 representative, had served on the county commission since December 1982, when he and the late Herman Lodge became the first blacks to hold a government office in Burke County.

He was a strong force behind the 1976 lawsuit in which he, Lodge and other blacks charged that Burke County's at-large elections lessened the voting power of black Burke Countians. Six years later, the Supreme Court ruled the elections system was unconstitutional and ordered a special election that not only cut the incumbent commissioners' terms in half but introduced the use of districts in the county.

Mr. Harvey won the District 1 seat over two incumbent commissioners and held onto it until his death last week.

Born in Gough, Mr. Harvey was a retired farmer and was employed as a meat cutter at Ft. Gordon for 34 years. He was also a World War II Army veteran, a member of the American Legion Post 270 and served as a deacon at Antioch Rock Creek Baptist Church in Waynesboro.

He and his wife, Sarah, were married for 66 years. She said that in addition to their six children, they have 39 grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren.

As a commissioner, Mr. Harvey fought to improve the county's health system, recreation and housing and saw to it that the many dirt roads in his district were paved and kept maintained.

"He was a calming force on the commission," chairman Jimmy Dixon said, adding that Mr. Harvey attended meetings and studied to be a better commissioner. "He didn't just take the job nonchalantly. He did a lot for this county, and he had an overwhelming resolve to always do what was right."

County administrator Merv Waldrop said Mr. Harvey served faithfully on the Board of Commissioners for more than 24 years, having been elected seven times. Most recently, he served as the chairman of both the public buildings and airport committees. He also served on the finance committee, the public works committee and represented the county on the EOA board.

"He will be missed by the staff and his fellow commissioners," Waldrop said. "He was always fair and tried to do the right thing for everyone. The commissioner who is elected from District 1 will have some big shoes to fill."

Waldrop said the commission will call for a special election to be held June 19 to fill the remainder of Mr. Harvey's term. A resolution was added to the commission's agenda for their regular monthly meeting held last night (Tuesday) acknowledging the vacancy and asking the Board of Elections to call an election. Waldrop said the board will have to get justice department approval and that the state allows special elections only four certain days of the year.