MUSCATINE, Iowa–Born in Mansfield, Missouri, Wanda Harvey spent her earliest years there. In 1945, at the age of four, Harvey moved with her family to Letts, where she lived until October, when she came to live at Bickford Senior Living in Muscatine.

Growing up in Letts, Harvey attended Letts public schools through her high school graduation. The district later combined with Grandview public schools to make the Louisa-Muscatine Community School District. After finishing high school, Harvey studied nursing at Muscatine Community College, earning her certified nursing assistant license in 1965.

At the age of 17, Wanda Harvey married her husband, Harlen Harvey. They enjoyed 45 years of marriage before Harlan Harvey’s death in July of 2002. Together, they had four children, two sons, Barret and Brian, and two daughters, Brenda and Susan. Two of their children continue to live in Letts to this day.

The Harveys owned a farm together, and Harvey spent many years helping her husband run it. However, she also put her CNA certification to good use, working at Colonial Manor in Columbus Junction for two years and for the Stacey-Lewis Ambulance Service for three years.

Throughout her life, Harvey has enjoyed reading and sewing in her free time. In the winter, when work slowed down on the farm. Harvey enjoyed traveling to Texas with her husband. While there, the two liked to go to square dances together.

A small-town girl at heart, Harvey loved life in the beautiful Iowa countryside for all of the years she lived on her family farm. She also valued getting to know many different people in Letts and having close friendships with them.

At Bickford in Muscatine, Harvey continues to meet new people and form friendships with them. She enjoys the many wonderful people she has encountered at Bickford and looks forward to getting to know them better in the years ahead.