Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A large funeral procession moved through Northfield Township today for former Washtenaw County Sheriff Douglas Harvey.

The 91-year-old Harvey resided in Whitmore Lake and passed away last Wednesday, November 22nd.

The procession for Harvey this afternoon included numerous police and emergency vehicles and a helicopter, with the Northfield Township Fire Department featuring a flag flying over Main Street.

Harvey served in the U.S. Navy and was said to have worn many hats over the years. His obituary states he was an entrepreneur and owned "Harvey's Bar" in Saline, Able Testing Company, and Deep Valley Produce. Harvey served as the Washtenaw County Sheriff from 1964 to 1972, and was the youngest sheriff to be sworn in for the State of Michigan. He also drove for Getaway Bus Lines and was a substitute bus Driver in Dexter. Harvey was a longtime member of the Ann Arbor American Legion Post and worked to have a flag pole installed at Veteran's Memorial Park in Ann Arbor. He was also described as die-hard U of M fan.

A publication on the Ann Arbor District Library website states “Washtenaw County's most colorful Sheriff in the 20th century was former deputy Douglas J. Harvey who was elected to consecutive terms, 1964-72. A bare-knuckles, no-questions-asked law enforcement officer, Harvey slid into office in 1964 on the coattails of fellow Democrat President Johnson's landslide win. Harvey's occasional opponents were diversified: the Washtenaw County Board of Supervisors to teenage long hairs to sit-in demonstrators. The Washtenaw County Jail was affectionately known as Harvey's Hotel and a cropped haircut was usually the result of an overnight stay”.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Borek Jennings Funeral Home and a community farewell was held today.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Washtenaw County Shop With A Cop or Ann Arbor American Legion Post #46.

A video of the funeral procession is available on the Northfield Township Facebook page. That link is provided.