DECEMBER 4, 1915 July 15, 2004 HARVEY _ W.J. Laurence (Len) Harvey passed away peacefully in the presence of family on July 15, 2004. He was a proud Welshman born in Newport, Gwent, Wales, where he took his public and technical school education. It was here that he began his lifelong career as a horticulturist. He started as an apprentice on a private estate and later worked for the Newport Parks Department where he rose through the ranks to become co-manager of Brynglas Nursery. During the war years he served in the R.A.F. and the newly created Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Britain, Belgium and Holland. On demobilization, the family decided to emigrate to Canada and arrived in Saskatoon in March of 1948. He was hired as the Assistant Superintendent of Parks for the City of Saskatoon, becoming Superintendent in 1954 and Director of Parks and Recreation in 1967, a position he held until his retirement in 1980. Len Harvey was a zealous champion of Saskatoon the beautiful and made sure that City planners and the Council did not waver in this responsibility. During his tenure, the City more than tripled in population and size. Len was a great believer in local parks as well as the major projects. He was responsible for the development of numerous parks and recreation facilities. Thousands of trees were planted of a variety of species not just the stately elms of the past. Among the major developments was the remaking of Holiday Park including the redesigned golf course, camp grounds, Gordie Howe Bowl and Cairns Field. On the other end of the scale was his simple innovation of leaving excavation fills in school yards as play hills for children. His legacy is everywhere in Saskatoon and is recognized by the naming of two adjacent parks in the Silverwood area in his honour. Len was active in a number of organizations related to his profession and played a quiet leadership role in many of them. These included the Newport Horticultural Society (Recognition Award); Saskatoon Horticultural Society, Past President, Life member, Western Canada Horticulture Society; Saskatchwan Parks and Recreation Association (Award of Merit); Canadian Parks and Recreation Association, Vice-President Prairie Region; and the Board of Saskatoon Prairieland Exhibition, Director. He was an active member and past president of the Saskatoon Rotary Club, the Welsh Society, the Pensioners and Pioneers and was a past president of the Saskatoon Chapter of the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of Canada. Len was a faithful supporter of his church all his life. He was a choir boy in St. Mary's in Malpas, Wales and a choir and vestry member in Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Saskatoon for over 45 years. He was always available to help others. Len was a Mason, a life member of Lodge Progress #92 and a 32nd degree Scottish Rite. He was also a Past Patron of the Order of Eastern Star. In addition to all this, Laurence Harvey was first and foremost a family man. He was our rock, always there to love, to support and to help no matter what. He cherished and delighted in his grandchildren and great grandchildren including those to whom he was surrogate grandpa. All will miss him terribly. Saskatoon, Canada and the world is a better place because Laurence Harvey passed by. Laurence was predeceased by his parents, Nathaniel and Mary (nee Barton), two sisters Elizabeth and Winifred and two brothers George and Ron. His brother Dennis (Newport, Wales) and sister Marjorie Short (Woodingdean, England) survive him. Also left to cherish his life is his wife of 67 years Irene (nee Stoneman); son Bryan and his family (wife Eileen, son Don and his wife Jean, their children Amanda and Cameron of Ottawa and son James of Saskatoon) and daughter Yvonne Dagenais (special friend Ken Johnsgaard of Chilliwack, B.C. and her daughter Heather and husband Warren Walker and their children Ryan and Nekeita of Wetaskewin, Alberta and son Michael of Surrey, B.C.). It was Len's wish that memorial donation be made to the Crohns and Colitis Foundation or a charity of choice. We wish to extend our sincere appreciation for the care and concern of the many health care professionals who eased his way through the last months of his life. The Emergency Room and Neuosciences Ward at R.U.H., the Geriatric Assessment Program at City Hospital and the Palliative Care Unit at St. Paul's Hospital. Join us in celebrating Laurence Harvey's life on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 in the Chapel of Saskatoon Funeral Home (corner of 4th Ave and 25th St.) at 1:00 p.m. Email condolences may be sent to mail@saskatoonfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to SASKATOON FUNERAL HOME 244-5577