Velma Martha Harvey

(MARTI HARVEY)

Velma Martha Harvey was the first child of Albert and Elsie Niemeyer. She was born on April 2, 1941, on the farm near Blue Hill, Nebraska. She lived in that general area until she was nearly 14 years old. She was already attending high school at Bladen High School in Bladen, Nebraska when the folks sold the family farm.

In January of 1956, she moved with her parents, a brother and two sisters to Portland, Oregon. The family finally settled in Beaverton, OR that year. Velma attended and graduated from Beaverton High School. With a scholarship, she attended University of Oregon in Eugene.

At that time, she met her first love, Pat Rooney. She relocated to Coos Bay, Oregon to be near him. At that time, she entered the Miss Coos County competition and she won! She went on to compete for Miss Oregon. She lost! However, that was a wonderful experience. Velma and Pat were soon married afterwards. They built their home in Coos Bay. Two sons were born to them; Patrick J Rooney (Trae) and Shaun T Rooney.

Velma had a love for music. She learned to play the accordion and the piano as a girl. She loved to sing. She demonstrated that gift in church, in plays by the drama department in high school and also in community theater in Coos Bay.

In business, Velma first became an accountant. She practiced that in various ways for most of her life. She also became a successful real estate broker in the state of Oregon and later in California. She had “a way” with people; ready to listen, taking an interest in them and helping them along with a big smile and a friendly voice. While working in real estate, she adopted her nickname as the name she wanted to be known by, Marti Harvey.

It was in California, years following a divorce, that she had married Darrel Harvey, she had already moved to that state and had begun again in real estate. She continued working and raising her two boys and loving Darrel’s three daughters. There was also time for travel, skiing, boating, hiking and more family activity.

As time went by, Velma Marti took up residence in a home in San Marcos, CA until she suffered a major stroke. This began a downward spiral in her health. Her son, Trae, helped her pack some belongings and brought her to his home in Portland, Oregon. She made her home with Trae ever since and it was there where she passed peacefully away the morning of Sept 10, 2026, at the age of 85 years.

Her two sons, Patrick Rooney and Shaun Rooney are left grieving her passing and attending to her wishes at death. Her siblings, Larry Niemeyer and Ginny, Connie Carpenter, and Charlene (Char) and John McHugh and many others are saddened at our loss. We know she has been welcomed in heaven by many others who knew her throughout her earthly life. And, she is singing.