Michael Jerome McVea was born May 4, 1954, in Logan, West Virginia. He was the youngest of three children born to Willie Lee McVea, Sr, and Fannie Mae Gary McVea. From birth, he was surrounded by loving parents, devoted grandparents and a host of loving extended family members. At a young age, he and his family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, and later established roots in Gary, Indiana where he grew up and spent most of his adult life. His passion for horticulture and landscape design developed through his early childhood experiences with his grandfather, Samuel McVea on the family farm. Later in life, his talents grew further while working in his father's landscape business. He was preceded in death by his father, Willie Lee McVea, Sr. he leaves to mourn and cherish his memory Carla McVea, his devoted wife of 18 years; his devoted mother, Fannie Mae McVea; sister, Ann McVea (Ronald) Caruthers; brother, Willie Lee McVea, Jr.; mother-in-law, Theresa Grisby; sisters-in-law, Kimberly Grisby (Kym Mazelle) and Kasi Grisby; special nieces and nephew, Alisa, Mia, and John, and a host of other loving relatives and friends.
A life of hard work for Family and Friends
Michael started out early in life trying to find his way. He was a very hard worker. The results that hard work was success as a businessman in a competitive profession. Michael would say that he knew how to make a dollar. He was determined and driven to achieve whatever he set out to do in life.
Self-taught and smart. As a young teen Michael had two paper routes (a.m. and p.m.). Michael began working at the age of 15 with his father, Mr. Willie McVea in a company which he founded in the early 1960's. The company was Superior Landscaping and Blacktopping. As a supervisor with Superior Landscaping and Blacktopping, he learned to operate heavy equipment and organize and supervise the completion of mid-size projects. Later in life he started his own carpentry business, building garages and room additions. He also installed carpet for several companies, all while working at LTV Steel. If those accomplishments were not enough, he started his own landscaping company. McVea's Landscaping and Lawn Maintenance which began as a home based business in 1992, doing small residential construction and landscaping for single-family homes. Expansion of the business occurred as a result of the quality of work in the residential landscape design and installation which lead to a partnership with a local builder. This partnership continued for several years with the building of upscale homes in Schererville, Indiana, Foxwood Estates. Proceeds from this endeavor allowed for expansion and the building of McVea's Landscaping, 255 East 61st Avenue, Merrillville,, in February 1996. The Garden Center operated as a retail garden and supply center, landscape design, construction, installation and lawn maintenance operation from 1996- 2007.
Over the years McVea's Landscaping worked with many governmental agencies, contractors and associations; the City of Gary, Gary Housing Authority, Gary Public Transportation, Gariup Construction, Powers and Sons Construction, Diocese of Gary, PebbleBrook Townhome Association and many more.
Carla and Michael were married on August 10, 2002. The two were inseparable up to his transition to be with the Lord. Carla was a devoted wife in life, administrative assistant and Co-manager in business. She thanked the Lord everyday for her husband. He knew how much she loved and cared for him. She made sure that he did, not just with words, but with actions, unconditionally. Her heart is broken, but trust that her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will see her through, and with the support of her family.
Visitation will be Friday, March 26, 2021 from 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. with Homegoing Service at 11:00 a.m. from St. Timothy Community Church 1600 West 25th Avenue Gary, Indiana. Interment Calumet Park Cemetery, Merrillville, Indiana.
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