Mary Jo Harvey

Mary Jo DeNicola Harvey, 73, died Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at Willard Walker Hospice Home in Fayetteville, Ark. She is preceded in death by her father, Joseph DeNicola of Gulfport, Miss. Mary Jo was born in Chicago, Ill., to Joseph and Lucille DeNicola on March 13, 1940. Her family moved to Gulfport, Miss., in 1961. She attended Gulfport High School and graduated in 1957. She met her future husband, James Harvey, and had a three-week courtship before marrying in November 1961. She earned her bachelor's degree in 1983 and her master's degree in business administration in 1988 from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. She had a lengthy career in civil service, receiving the Department of the Navy's Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the highest civil service award, upon her retirement in 2000. Mary Jo was an elder at the First Presbyterian Church, Oxnard, Calif., First Presbyterian Church, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and First United Presbyterian Church, Fayetteville. She enjoyed movies, reading, sewing, playing bridge, traveling and spending time with her family. Mary Jo is survived by her husband, James of Fayetteville; son, John (Judy) of Colleyville, Texas; daughter, Connie (Jeff) Taylor of Olathe, Kan.; three granddaughters, Alison Harvey of Fayetteville, Stephanie Harvey of Colleyville, Texas, and Caroline Harvey of Colleyville, Texas; mother, Lucille DeNicola of Bonifay, Fla.; sister, Anita (Larry) Scruggs of Petal, Miss.; two brothers, Paul (Nita) DeNicola of Clayton, Ga., and Jimmy (Pat) DeNicola of Bonifay, Fla. Funeral service will be held at First United Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, April 2, 2013, at 10 a.m. Refreshments will be provided following the service. A private interment will be held at a later time. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Endowment Fund of the First United Presbyterian Church, 695 E. Calvin St., Fayetteville, AR, 72703. Condolences may be left in Mary Jo's online guest book at www.nelsonberna.com. Nelson-Berna Funeral Home and Crematory handled the cremation arranegements.