Harvey Phillip Tidwell

Mr. Harvey P. Tidwell, 91, of Newnan passed away on Thursday, April 13, 2017 at Piedmont Newnan Hospital after a short illness. He was born in Alvaton, GA on July 15, 1925 to Frank and Jessie Pearl Mathews Tidwell. Growing up he attended school in Alvaton. He was a WWII veteran serving in the Army in the Pacific area. He was a welder for about 15 years with the R.D. Cole Company in Newnan. During the Civil War Centennial in 1961, R. D. Cole held a beard growing contest and Harvey won. He and his family dressed in 1861 style to ride in an old steam locomotive into Newnan for a parade through town. In midlife he changed occupations and became an agent with Liberty National Life Insurance Company. He won several Company awards and retired from there in 1982. Some of his jobs in retirement included plant caretaker for Holiday Inn and babysitter for his grandsons. He was a member of Bethel UMC near Senoia for over 60 years. Harvey enjoyed talking to people and sharing a funny story or joke. As he got older his hearing almost disappeared due to his driving Sherman tanks during WWII and his work on welding inside giant water tanks for R. D. Cole. He learned to read lips to help him understand what people were saying. Family reunions for the Tidwell and Mathews families were held each year from the time he was a young boy. Whenever Harvey and his brothers (and later his nephews) would get together a game of Rook would soon be started. He is survived by son, John B. Tidwell of Raymond; daughter, Kathy Madden (Jim) of Sharpsburg: daughter in law, Pat Tidwell of Newnan; grandsons Austin Tidwell (Agata) of Newnan; Akom Tidwell (Lindsay) of Newnan; Alex Madden (Hailey) of Sharpsburg; great grandchildren, Henry and Mara Tidwell of Newnan; sister, Betty Brown of Cataula, GA and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Ruth Crawford Tidwell; his eldest son, Harvey Phillip Tidwell, Jr. (Phil); brothers, Irl, Johnny, Frank, Pierce, and James Roy ; sisters Dorothy (Dot) Buce and Lucretia Buchanan. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.mckoon.com. The funeral service will be on Saturday, April 22 at 2 p.m. in the chapel of McKoon Funeral Home with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Pastor Vaidas Krasauskas will officiate. Visitation will be from 12 to 2 p.m. on April 22 before the service. McKoon Funeral Home & Crematory, 38 Jackson St., Newnan, GA 30263, 770—253-4580

Harvey Phillip Tidwell

July 15, 1925 - April 13, 2017