Frances Elinor DuRant Harvey

Frances Elinor DuRant Harvey was born on September 12, 1930 in Orlando, Florida. She had an older brother who passed before she was born, and then a younger brother and sister, Robert and Diane. She was a Girl Scout who became a Girl Scout leader. She was always active in church, and her faith played an important role in who she was and how she led her life. She attended Concord Park Methodist Church, where she led the children’s choir, helped with youth activities, and served as Sunday school president and other auxiliaries throughout her life. It was there, and in junior high, that she met the love of her life, Julian Ryals Harvey. They married on May 16, 1951. He was in the navy, so when they married, she moved with him where he was stationed in California. They made their way back to Florida, and there they had two children, Randolf Ryals Harvey and Vicki Lynn Harvey Stephens. Eventually, Julian was called out to sea on the USS Midway, while Frances was pregnant with Vicki, so while Julian served the country during the Korean Conflict, Frances served her family at home in Orlando.

Frances loved her family and loved her role as a wife and mother. While Julian worked as a firefighter and later arson investigator and sheriff’s deputy, Frances worked at home to raise their children. She supported Julian and encouraged him to finish his associates degree. She also worked for Trinity Lutheran School and drove the school bus and worked as an assistant in the kindergarten. She volunteered in the elementary school infirmary. Frances worked hard to help at the schools where her children attended. She served as the PTA president and advocated for students’ needs. She also worked with youth groups, baton, choir, theater, and dance. She wrote scripts for and MC’d many different programs and performances for the PTA and church. Frances also supported her children and attended all of their games and performances. She was also the “neighborhood taxi” providing rides to and from practices and games for several children in the neighborhood. In addition to supporting her family and church, she was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Fireman’s Auxiliary. She loved attending the fireman’s ball with Julian each year.

Frances and Julian made lifelong friends. They had friendships that started in school and lasted their entire lives. They stayed in touch with their navy friends for many years. They even had a reunion on the USS Midway in California.

Family was most important in her life: Julian, her children, nieces, nephews, brother, sister, in-laws, parents, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was always serving everyone. She took Granny, several great-aunts, and several ladies from church to go grocery shopping, clothes shopping, whatever they needed. She also planned birthday parties for them, invited them over for Easter and Christmas and made them baskets and stockings. She had a gift for making everyone feel welcome and a part of the group or party. She made sure no one felt left out.

Frances and Julian loved the theater. They both worked as ushers at the local theater and attended many performances that way. Frances also worked with the Miss Florida Pageant as contestant hostess. One of her girls went on to win Miss Florida and then Miss America. She was also an accredited Miss Florida Judge and judged several pageants. Additionally, Frances was a member of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Junior Miss Pageant.

Frances was extremely creative and talented. She was an amazing seamstress. She made many of her own clothes, as well as for the rest of her family. When she married, her mother made her a beautiful satin wedding gown. When it was time for Vicki to marry, Frances remade her own wedding gown out of lace, and then attached it to the satin gown for Vicki to wear. She loved making crafts and enjoyed providing craft supplies to her grandchildren to make some as well. She enjoyed growing flowers in her garden, fishing, and canoeing. She loved to laugh and have fun. She was a master at playing rummy. She went boogie boarding with her children and her grandchildren.

Frances was a good Samaritan, who wasn’t afraid to get her hair wet. She even made it in the newspaper for helping to direct traffic in front of her house during heavy rain and flooding.

There were several teachings that Frances lived by and taught her children.

*Always look for the good in any situation.

*When one chapter of your life closes a new chapter opens. Enjoy whatever season you are currently in.

*Work as if everything depended on you, and pray as if everything depended on God and exercise your faith in Him.

*Don’t run faster than you have strength.

*She taught her children that she and their father would not always be around, but that the Savior would always be with them, so they would always have that strength and someone to turn to.

*The Serenity Prayer:

God, grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, the courage, to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Frances and Julian were married for almost 64 years when Julian passed. They are both an example to all of their family and loved ones. Their dedication to God, their family and serving others has had an incalculable impact on the lives of those around them and on the world. We are forever blessed because of them.