J. Torrance Harvey, 92

J. Torrance Harvey, 92, of Kalispell passed away Sunday, April 29, 2007.

Torrance was born Dec. 4, 1914, in Bainville to Fred and Gertrude Harvey. He was the oldest of eight children.

Torrance served as pastor of Lakeside Community Chapel from its beginning in 1950 to 1999, served with School District 5 in Kalispell from 1948 to 1976 as a science and math teacher, an assistant principal at Central and Linderman and as an assistant superintendent for the district. Additionally, he was director of the Methodist Camp in Rollins from 1945 to 1970.

After graduating from Bainville High School in 1932, he attended Intermountain College in Helena (now Rocky Mountain College in Billings). While at Intermountain, he was asked to serve as a supply pastor at the Methodist Church in Chester while the minister was away. The minister did not return, and Torrance continued to serve the Methodist congregations at Chester, Hingham, Inverness, Gilford and Kremlin while finishing his teaching certificate at Northern Montana College in Havre.

In 1938, Torrance left Montana to attended Iliff Seminary in Denver. While at Iliff, he served as a supply pastor at Lafayette, Colo., where he met and married Betty Johnson in August 1942. Torrance then returned to Chester, again serving as pastor. In Chester he also served as a principal in the Chester School and later was elected county superintendent of schools for Liberty County.

Torrance moved to the Flathead Valley in 1947, where he taught school one year at Columbia Falls before joining the faculty in the Kalispell system. Torrance was active in Kiwanis and was a Mason. He was a member of Trinity Lodge No. 152 and served as grand chaplain of Montana Grand Lodge.

Torrance was preceded in death by his wife; his parents; two sisters; and two brothers.

He is survived by his daughter, Marcella Taylor, of Pine Bluff, Ark.; his son, Torrance D. Harvey, of Pacific, Wash.; a sister, Adelaide Foy, of Boise, Idaho; two brothers, Robert Harvey and Dale Harvey, both of Kalispell; seven grandchildren; one great-grandson; and several nieces and nephews.

Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.