Henry McNeil “Mack” Harvey Jr., 88 – a husband, a father and an engineer who possessed an endlessly curious mind – died Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.
Born in Pulaski in 1936, and raised in Radford, Mack was the son of Henry McNeil Harvey and Ethel Elizabeth Lyons. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Helen Martin Harvey; by his daughter, Heather Marie Harvey, of Glen Allen, Virginia; and by his son Henry McNeil “Neil” Harvey III, and Neil’s wife Camille Turner Harvey of Roanoke.
Mack attended Radford High School and spent much of his youth in the automotive shop of his father’s car dealership on Main Street, fascinated by machines and the ways in which they worked. When he developed an interest in photography as a teen, he built his own darkroom in his family’s home, and after he bought his first car while still in high school – his storied 1930 Ford – his technical knowledge deepened even more.
Those early experiences led to his earning his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1958 and his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1964, both from Virginia Tech. He was also inducted into Pi Tau Sigma, the International Honor Society for Mechanical Engineers.
While at Virginia Tech, he worked as a student assistant and then spent four years as a full-time assistant professor, teaching courses in thermodynamics, kinematics and instrumentation, among other subjects.
From 1965 through 2001, Mack worked for Hercules Incorporated, at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, as a mechanical engineer and a manager within both the facilities and equipment design division and the manufacturing engineering division. During the plant’s peak capacity, he supervised 130 personnel and managed an annual project budget of $30 million.
Mack loved his hometown and the New River Valley, and he gave his support to the region by serving terms as vice-chair of the Radford City School Board, chair of the Radford City Planning Commission, and for decades until his death, as board chair of the Trolinger Trust. He also previously served on the foundation board for Warm Hearth Retirement Village, was a member of corporation for St. Albans Psychiatric Hospital, and sat on the New Century Council Infrastructure Committee.
Mack and Helen were avid travelers and visited a host of destinations over the years, including Russia, Panama, and most of Europe. He also loved music, was a skilled trombone player, and enjoyed a range of artists and styles – particularly Stan Kenton, Neil Diamond and John Barry.
During the past decade, Mack became an active walker, logging miles around his hometown and photographing his favorite points of interest: cars, trucks, trains, construction sites and heavy machinery. Because of his genuine interest in others, he could easily strike up friendly conversations with just about anyone, and he did so very often. He was witty and kind, a wonderful husband and dad. At age 88, years after his retirement, Mack completed the 16 professional development hours the state requires to renew his professional engineering license. He remained an engineer to the end. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Radford.
A memorial will be held at the church at 201 4th Street on Thursday, Sept. 19, with visitation at 10 a.m. and a service at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Mack to a charity of your choice.
The Harvey family is in the care of the Mullins Funeral Home & Crematory in Radford.
