DAVE HARVEY (1947-2026)
Dave Harvey, who moved to Mammoth in 1995 with his wife and family to own and operate the Swiss Chalet motel, died in March at the age of 78.
During his time in Mammoth, Dave quickly became an integral part of the community’s fabric, serving as a mentor, friend, and de facto welcoming committee for new arrivals.
According to a profile on Dave and his wife Sharon (which appeared on page 8 of the February 27, 2021 issue if you care for a deeper dive), “The Harveys’ Mammoth experience began in 1978, with the family making weeklong trips to town every summer to visit and hold family reunions at a time share they had purchased and booked for the same week every year.
The family would be headed back to their home in Long Beach, spending “five hours trying to figure out how you come into a community like this,” Dave said.
“We’d leave and be so depressed,” Sharon said, “and try to figure out how to get here [permanently].”
Their background was in food service; they owned a number of vendor carts around Long Beach, and so they learned the hospitality business on the fly with the purchase of the Swiss Chalet.
Dave wore many hats during those initial years and ensuing two+ decades: locksmith, upholsterer, plow operator, and more.
All roles borne out of necessity: the building needed 49 new sets of locks and bolts, the windows needed new coverings, and the chairs, 56 in total, needed to have the fabric redone.
They had help as well from Tina and Pedro Godinez, who were already working at the motel as housekeepers. The Godinezes worked at the hotel up to its last day. Even after the Harveys sold the hotel, they would stop by on Christmas with a plate of homemade tamales and salsa.
Dave’s handiness came from his family; Dave’s grandparents came to the United States via Canada, operating an upholstery and awning business in Taft, California for many years.
As Dave explained, awnings are a necessary component of life in Taft, a desert town known for its heat. His grandparents saw the need and stepped up to provide the service, an entrepreneurial spirit that Dave has carried into just about every aspect of his life.
What made Dave particularly special, and this was a recurring theme, was in how he welcomed others to the community.
He wasn’t a guy who had found his shangri-la and was hell bent on protecting what was his.
He wanted others to share his experience.
When Sue and Robert Joki first moved to town, they bought a hangar at the airport.
“We’d barely opened the doors, and there was Dave [who owned a hangar a few doors down], bad back and all, offering to help us unpack.”
He soon became a friend and confidante of Robert’s. They bonded over history, geology and mining. This friendship led Dave to serve on the Historical Society board.
Joki loved him because he would roll his sleeves up and do stuff.
Anyway, at one point, the Historical Society decided to form a government for Mammoth City (where the Town was originally located).
You got a free shot of Jack Daniels for every time you voted.
Dave was elected Mayor and ran unopposed for reelection for the remainder of his life.
In the same way Dave joined Search and Rescue (SAR) soon after moving to the area, and upon seeing a dire need for new equipment and winter gear, actively began fundraising to get the team up to speed. He was instrumental in attracting the first sizable donations to SAR.
Greg Young moved to Mammoth in 1996. He worked for a company called Qnet and he was tasked with bringing the internet to Mammoth.
The Harveys were some of the first people he ever met. Their son was the same age as Greg’s son.
Greg didn’t need to give the whole sales pitch to Dave; he innately understood the positive impact the internet would have on his motel business.
Greg describes Dave as a ‘60s or ‘70s type of laid-back guy. “Just a kindhearted person willing to work hard and be part of the community.”
Dave served for two terms on the town’s planning commission. And literally tutored his future replacement (Mickey Brown).
As Mickey said, “He had a developer’s mind. Even at the end, he was still thinking about projects and deals.”
Dave is survived by his wife Sharon, son Dave, daughter Sarah, their spouses, and six grandchildren.
A renaissance man through and through, he enjoyed rock & ice, climbing, skiing, hiking, fishing. He was also a private pilot.
As he said in his exit interview in 2021, “I’m so happy we did it [moved to Mammoth]. My kids grew up well and I think it’s always better to have a village looking out for your family.”
He added, “The most wonderful people in the world live in Mammoth,” he said. “I would highly recommend it to anyone, especially young people without many ties.”
