Laurel Thompson Harvey

Laurel Thompson Harvey, loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend of many passed away on December 27, 2022 at the age of 84 in Greenville, SC.

Laurel was born on March 29, 1938 to Herman and Cecile Thompson in Atlanta, Georgia.  After graduating from Northside High School, she attended Lynchburg College in Virginia.

Laurel’s parents both grew up in rural Virginia and the family would visit “The Farm” often where her love off all animals was fostered.  Over the years she had many animal “babies” and loved nothing more than sitting with a cat in her lap.  She especially loved horses and showed her three-gaited American Saddle Horses at horse shows around the Atlanta area.

Laurel married Bill Harvey in 1968 and they settled in Mauldin and then Fountain Inn, SC.  Their marriage blended her two daughters, Karen and Janice and Bill’s three children Carol, Neal and Jeff.  The family enjoyed boating and skiing on Lake Hartwell, family trips to the beach and Sunday drives in the mountains or back country roads for picnics and readings of Historical Markers.

Through the years, Laurel enjoyed many passions and was known to be the life of every party with her quick wit and love of a good story.   She especially loved music and dancing and could do a great Chuck Berry “duck walk” dance across the living room.  She was a great banjo picker but was nervous to play for an audience.  Her ingenious way to overcome her fear was to just turn her chair around and face the wall.  She and Bill loved to travel in their motorhome to Bluegrass festivals most weekends to see friends and play music and Bill even took up the upright bass so they could enjoy their hobby together.  They were instrumental in bringing bluegrass bands to Fountain Inn for summer concerts.

When not playing music, Laurel could be found playing in one of several bridge clubs or trying to persuade someone to play some type of game with her using her line…” You want me to beat you?”.   Some of her favorite games were: Progressive Canasta, Crazy Eights and Double Solitaire.  Crossword puzzles were another favorite.

Laurel loved traveling and exploring. Every year she and Bill would take an annual trip with friends. Some of the great places they visited were out west in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and California.  They visited most of the United States throughout the years taking in the scenery with friends while enjoying good food and wine along the way.

Most of all, Laurel loved her family and they were the light of her life.  She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.

Laurel was preceded in death by both of her parents and Bill, her loving husband of 53 years.  She is survived by her two daughters, Karen Turpin (Jack) and Janice Horne (Rick), a stepdaughter, Carol Greer (Paul) and two stepsons, Neal Harvey (Melodie) and Jeff Harvey (Becky); as well as Grammy’s 15 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by her older sister, Nancy Toon (Ralph) and their three children and their families.

The family would like to sincerely thank the staff at the Gardens at Eastside for taking such wonderful care of Laurel, their “Buckhead Beauty” and also would like to thank the staff at Hospice and Palliative Care, Palmetto Region for their support and great care of Laurel.

A funeral service will be held at Heritage Funeral Home on January 3, 2023 at 12:00 pm.  The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 11:00 am.

Entombment will be private for the family at Cannon Byrd Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Laurel’s honor to Hospice and Palliative Care, Palmetto Region or to the Alzheimer’s Association.