arvie Jordan passed away on November 8, 2002, shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. News of his death reached the ATA conference in Atlanta on Saturday, and at the closing reception that evening translators from around the world expressed their shock and shed tears over the untimely death of the Texan in the black hat who had mentored so many newcomers to the profession.
Harvie was a co-founder and current president of the Austin Area Translators and Interpreters Association. In the early years of AATIA, Harvie served on the board, worked and reworked the bylaws, and produced the newsletter. In the mid 90s Harvie started the Spanish Special Interest Group of the AATIA, produced its newsletter, and presided over meetings until his election to the presidency. Harvie had also served as Assistant Administrator of the Spanish Language Division of the American Translators Association.
Unknown to many of us were Harvie's other interests and families. In addition to being a translator, Harvie was also a public and international relations specialist, transportation specialist, and broadcaster. Harvie had worked as a news reporter for various radio stations in Austin, rising to the rank of News Director and serving on the Capitol Bureau. He later worked for the State of Texas as Information Specialist for the Texas Department of Agriculture and as Deputy Director of the International Relations Office of the Texas Department of Transportation during the negotiation of the North American Free Trade Act. In 1998 he retired from state government to devote all his time to freelance translation and voice talent, skills he had developed over the preceding 35 years. Harvie was active with Hispanic ministries, especially at the Iglesia San Francisco Episcopal Church.
Harvie was an Accredited Business Communicator and member of the International Association of Business Communicators, National Association of Government Communicators, Texas Associated Press Broadcasters, Society of Professional Journalists and Writers League of Texas, among others. He received a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and had attended Texas Tech University and Mexico City College.
Harvie leaves behind his wife Lynda, two daughters and a son, and three grandchildren.
Harvie was at the core of our organization from its beginning. He always acted like the high point of his day was meeting one of us, and he always made each one of us, especially newcomers, feel special. A conversation with Harvie always made the day brighter! That warmth, his concern for the mechanics of the organization, and his love of translation and the AATIA has surely been a significant factor in the strength and vitality or our local translators group. We are thankful to have had him for these years and we will miss him terribly.
|