Harvey O. Mierke, Jr.

Harvey Oliver Mierke, Jr., a lifelong resident of Cleveland, Ohio, passed away on August 16, 2024, at the age of 88. Born on March 3, 1936, to Harvey Oliver Mierke, Sr. and Prudence Wardwell Mierke, Harvey lived a full and vibrant life, deeply rooted in his community and family. Harvey shared his many and varied interests with those around him: fishing, art, architecture, reading, nature, travel, and food. 

Harvey grew up in Shaker Heights and attended Malvern Elementary School, Woodbury Junior High School, and Shaker Heights High School. He excelled in his studies and was a talented trombone player, performing with pride in the school’s marching band. During his junior year of high school, Harvey faced a significant challenge when he contracted spinal meningitis, which caused him to lose a year of school. Despite this setback, his determination and resilience helped him overcome the illness, and he returned to complete his education with distinction.

Harvey attended Amherst College, graduating in the Class of 1959 with a major in American Studies. At Amherst, Harvey was an active member of Kappa Theta fraternity and a dedicated athlete, rowing on the college crew team for three years and serving as the team captain his junior year. He loved rowing on the Connecticut River and cherished the time spent with his teammates, whether traveling to Florida for winter practices or competing in regattas throughout New England and along the East Coast. Harvey continued to follow and support the Amherst crew team, enjoying ongoing correspondence with the Head Coach. He and Lorna attended almost every Class of ‘59 reunion, cherishing their friendships with classmates and their spouses. He fulfilled a deep wish this past spring by attending his 65th reunion, accompanied by daughter Sara, ’88.

Harvey met Lorna in 1957 in LaPlant, South Dakota, on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation (Lakota Nation), where they were both serving on a work crew with the World Council of Churches rebuilding a small wooden church. That experience, where they met youth from across the country and around the world, was a touchstone for both of them and their life together. They dated for two years, traveling often between Amherst and New Haven, Connecticut, and were married in 1959 shortly after Harvey’s college graduation.

Following undergraduate studies, Harvey earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. In 1962, he began a legal career at the Cleveland law firm Arter & Hadden, where he quickly established himself as a talented corporate attorney. During this time, Harvey and Lorna settled in Warrensville Heights, where they raised their young family from 1962 to 1968. They moved to the Malvern School neighborhood of Shaker Heights, buying the house next door to his mother’s house, which had originally been his grandparent’s home, creating a multigenerational family space and life. At that time, Harvey and Lorna began collecting art, primarily of Cleveland artists, and became active in various Cleveland institutions, including The Cleveland Playhouse. 

After a period of time practicing law, Harvey embarked on a new venture as an entrepreneur. He took over Higbee Travel Company, transforming it from a small firm into a thriving five-office practice across northeast Ohio. Under his leadership, Higbee Travel, and later Reserve Travel, became known for its innovative partnerships with Cleveland's premier arts organizations. Harvey, along with Lorna, organized and led custom trips that combined travel with cultural enrichment, including Cleveland Playhouse theater tours in the UK, Cleveland Museum of Art excursions to China and Japan, and Cleveland Botanical Garden tours of England. This work allowed him to blend his love for adventure, art, and the Cleveland community, creating unique experiences for clients, many of whom joined multiple trips over the years. Harvey and Lorna often hosted slideshow dinners in their home following trips. 

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Harvey was a dedicated fisherman who traveled near and far to indulge in his passion. His true love, however, was his summer home on Toad Island, purchased by his father in 1924 in Beaverstone Bay, off Georgian Bay on Lake Huron. Harvey began visiting the island at the age of six with his parents, and it quickly became a cherished retreat where he found peace and joy for nearly 80 years with friends and family, missing very few summers throughout his life. There, he became a master fisherman, a renaissance man who could build or fix practically anything, and, with Lorna, a wonderful host to his many relatives and friends. His passion for Georgian Bay led Harvey to help establish and serve on the Northern Georgian Bay Association (NGBA) for many years. He was also long-time a board member of the Georgian Bay Association (GBA) and the Great Lakes Basin Conservancy. 

While he led an active life overall, Harvey had “nine lives”, surviving multiple health challenges, including a premature birth, a hernia in infancy, spinal meningitis as a teenager, heart disease, and, finally, recurring intestinal challenges. Alcoholism was perhaps the most challenging, starting in the 1950’s and continuing through decades of recovery. That journey became a core part of his life, including volunteering at the AA Central Office and serving others in recovery even through his last week of life. 

Harvey was a devoted father to his three daughters, Kathryn, Elizabeth and Sara (Matthew Young). While supportive of their passions and enthusiastic in their pursuits, he also had high expectations. He shared a love of art, travel, and family history with Kathryn, encouraging her through art school and her career as an art therapist. Together they explored family genealogy, connected with cousins in the US and abroad, and cherished family artifacts. Harvey loved “Lizzie’s” baking and supported her through thick and thin, accompanying her in sobriety and becoming her primary caregiver during her battle with terminal cancer. With Sara, Harvey shared the beauty of rowing and the lure of outdoor adventure. He was steadfast in his support of her international career and her family life. As well, he cherished his close friendship with Sara’s husband, Matthew, who was a favorite companion in fishing, canoeing, travel, and eating great food. 

As a grandfather, Harvey found immense joy in the lives of his grandchildren: Oliver C. Young (Emma Wolfe), Cloe C. Young, and Sally Madiba-Carlson, MD (Dean Carlson). He took great pride in their accomplishments and was a source of wisdom and guidance. Throughout their growing up, Harvey, along with Lorna, was an active grandparent to Oliver and Cloe. They visited Sara, Matthew, and the children in North Macedonia several times between 1998 and 2001, visiting their schools, hiking in the mountains, exploring ancient monasteries and historic sites, and savoring local cuisine. When the family moved back to Cleveland, Harvey continued to be a constant presence in their lives, attending Oliver's soccer and baseball games, Cloe's theater productions and art exhibits, and joining them for Halloween, special holidays, and birthday celebrations. When Sally joined the family in 2010, Harvey embraced her as one of his own grandchildren, developing a strong bond with her that he cherished. As they became young adults, Harvey supported, encouraged and celebrated all his grandchildren were doing in their lives. 

As his grandchildren brought partners into the family fold, Harvey welcomed them all with open arms. He loved spending time with Max and Cloe in New York City or when the two visited Cleveland, hearing about their lives and work in art and fashion. Harvey became particularly close to Emma, Oliver’s wife, spending many Sunday dinners together and bonding over ice cream, books, helping others, and a positive outlook on life. His time with Dean, Sally’s husband, was short, but he was thrilled to have him in the family and they developed a connection that was sure to grow.

Harvey was known for his kindness, generosity, and unwavering sense of responsibility. He was a pillar of strength for his family and friends, always ready with a helping hand or a listening ear. His presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him. The many tributes and condolences shared with family friends illustrate the kind of person Harvey was to so many: an “institution”, “icon”, “inspiration”. “They don’t make them like that any more.” “Smart! Funny! Solid! A real man’s man, in the finest sense!” As one family member wrote: “He was one of nature’s true gentlemen - kind, welcoming, happy to share his many enthusiasms and eager to hear about yours. With quiet, unassuming dignity, he helped so many people - family, friends, and strangers who never remained strangers. He helped guide us all to our better selves and in this way, his shining influence is indelible.” 

In addition to his parents and daughter Elizabeth, Harvey was preceded in death by numerous friends and loved ones who were dear to him. His memory will live on in the hearts of his surviving family members, friends -- too many to name -- and the many lives he touched throughout his long and meaningful life.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to AA Central Office, 1557 St. Clair NE, Cleveland, OH 44114; Georgian Bay Forever, P.O. Box 75347, Leslie Street Toronto, ON M4M 1B3 Canada (for US Citizens, donations may be made via Great Lakes Basin Conservancy, P.O. Box 504, Gates Mills, OH 44040); or Killarney Health Centre, 34A Commissioner Street, Killarney ON P0M 2A0, Canada. 

A Celebration of Harvey’s life will be held Saturday, September 14th at 3 pm in the Dowd Commons of the Church of the Covenant, 11205 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106. For additional information, directions, the full obituary and the opportunity to sign the guestbook, please go to www.brown-forward.com.