Friends Remember Man Whose Body Was Found in Parking Lot

By: Kristin Bauer - Email

Updated: Fri 10:53 PM, Feb 22, 2013

Police say a 53-year-old man was pronounced dead at a hospital after he was found in a snowy Lincoln parking lot.

Friends describe him as an active member of the community. Kevin Harvey was a fun guy with a full-time job at Lincoln Lumber.

He also had a full resume. His former business partner Jeff Collins says Harvey was involved in politics, theater and co-owned a small business with Collins in the 90s.

"He's been a local fixture for quite some time," said Collins.

A worker clearing snow from a business lot near 2nd and p streets discovered Harvey's body Friday morning.

His friends think he was on his way back to the Curtis Center at the People’s City Mission when something went wrong.

"I talked to him yesterday afternoon at about 1:30,” he said. “I said ‘call after 7 if you want,’ and he didn't call.

It sounds like it must have been a major event like a heart attack from the way he was positioned when they found him. He didn't try to call anyone, and I'm pretty sure he had his phone on.”

According to People’s City Mission staff, Harvey had been living at the center for three weeks.

The Curtis Center is a transitional housing center for men. The center offers a two year program with a monthly fee for room and board.

Harvey was in the program to wean off of alcohol and straighten up his life.

"He had some different circumstances in life than everybody else has," he said. “I think a lot of people that never have to brush up against that side of life don't realize that it's people just like them that are there, and something just went a little wrong for them in life."

His friends say, he was making some very positive changes.

Efforts to revive Harvey at a Lincoln hospital failed. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Lincoln police spokeswoman Katie Flood says there were no signs of physical injuries to the man.

It's unclear whether Harvey was a victim of weather exposure or of some other medical problem.

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