Olive Garvey

is honored with a Pathway Paver from Willard Garvey Ann E. Garvey

Olive White Garvey
1893-1993

Olive White Garvey's own words tell her story best:

Nobody will ever be able to correctly assess women's real influence on the world, but it has been mighty... And although she may not have received full credit, she has been repaid with love, honor and often adoration.

I was born with a contrary mind... The term "It's always been done that way" is a red flag to me. In high school, I was instrumental in organizing the H.S. YWCA, and was the first president. In both high school and college, I held many offices and helped manage numerous projects. I was very familiar with "Robert's Rules." I early learned that any project depends on the leadership, and that every project must be monitored to its conclusion. That the best way to cure complainers is to put them in charge of the project and that everybody performs better if he thinks it is his own idea. In fact, I learned about people and how to get along with them...

I was born like I am... I can't remember when I wasn't helping devise some project, or organizing or running something... I have a sensitivity to the conditions around me. In fact, I think I have the ability to sense all sides of many situations, and I have a great deal of empathy. But I do not waste my time "feeling sorry" for people. I know people have to be willing to help themselves. And I try to think of ways to help them do it...

I have always operated with a sense of time. There are so many interesting and necessary things to do that time to do them is at a premium. I have always had a timetable in my consciousness which operates according to the demands, but remains flexible for unforeseen events...

Two precepts figured largely in my early training: the commandment "Let not your right hand know what your left hand doeth" and the belief that one does not necessarily receive rewards for good actions on earth, although one might in Heaven. One does good deeds for the sake of the deed... The deed itself is my pleasure.

If reward on earth prevents reward in Heaven, I have thin prospect in the next world. I have had recognition, honors and appreciation beyond measure. I have been awarded four doctorate degrees by four colleges...

[I wrote] anything which took my fancy: poetry, articles, fiction, drama and propaganda. I probably mixed the latter in all categories. I now think that with proper understanding of my abilities and readers' reactions, I might have done better in a narrower field. In the first place, I am much more cerebral than emotional. Ray once told me that to communicate a subject one had to be a bit fanatical about it, and that I was too well balanced....

Looking back I feel that I have been the most fortunate of women and that I have lived through a golden age... The greatest satisfaction which life has given me is my family.... My second satisfaction is that our business experience has been in the field of public service, producing food, shelter and energy for those who deserve it, providing employment and opportunity to hundreds of people... My third pleasure is that I have been granted the handling of sufficient means to have been able to help many, many worthy causes.

Although I hope and believe most of these contributions have been wisely and productively expended, there are four favorite projects, each of which I consider addresses one of the four primary needs of the human family" (1) private education; (2) the family; (3) a healthy mind and body; (4) a free country. God and Gain, the objective our Founding Fathers. God, the inspiring motivational force producing all that Gain: in learning, in living, in working, in building a life which will be a blessing to the individual and the world in which he lives. I'm especially glad I have been permitted to have had a part in these things...

There are two more talismen by which I have tried to live: "With all thy getting, get understanding." The revised translation of the Bible changes "understanding" to "wisdom." I do not think they are the same thing. Of course, one needs understanding before he can make a wise decision. But understanding is so much broader. It is one's orientation to every aspect of life.

The last and most important rule is dedication to the sentiment of the hymn: "Take my life and let it be, Consecrated, Lord, to Thee."

I believe if one lives by these precepts, one will not need to be born again.
--- by Olive White Garvey, quoted from her books "Once Upon A Family Tree" and "Produce or Starve."

A powerful example of Olive White Garvey's foresight is, at the age of 80, creating what is now The Center for the Improvement of Human Functioning, an internationally-recognized leader in the holistic health approach to physical and mental health. She co-founded Music Theater of Wichita, the Institute of Logopedics and substantially endowed Friends University and Washburn University. She is listed in 12 different Who's Who. All in all, she gave over $100 million in monetary charitable contributions. But she was proudest of such achievements as being included on boards and organizations such as the American Pen Women for recognition as a writer.

Mrs. Garvey was a published author, produced playwright, philanthropist extraordinaire, a businesswoman who assumed control of a multi-million dollar empire at the age of 65 and capably managed its development, growth and divisions for over 30 years, until she was 99.

She traveled widely, kept an active correspondence with many hundreds of people, was interested in new ideas and discoveries. She created or was largely responsible for originating the following: The Olive White Garvey Fellowship through the Mont Pelerin Society and Hoover Institute; the Institute of International Education; Wichita YWCA; Goodwill and Urban League agencies in Wichita; the Kansas Council on Economic Education; and KPTS. She and Olive Beech were the first women members of the Metropolitan Wichita Council and the Chamber of Commerce. She found real satisfaction in advancing such organizations as PEO; Alumnae Group of Delta Gamma; the American Association of University Women; the Wichita Symphony; Plymouth Congregational Church; the YMCA; Kansas 4-H Foundation; and the Institute of Logopedics (now Heartspring). A thorough list of citations, awards, honorary degrees, affiliations and achievements would fill many more pages. Mrs. Garvey had four children, 17 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

October 1, 1999