Folks at The Mousetrap Restaurant had a drink in memory of one of the regulars, a fun-loving Gamecocks fan who died, along with his handyman, in a morning fire Monday.
Alton Eugene "Gene" Harvey, 73, of 2602 Marling Drive, Columbia, was pronounced dead at 8:15 a.m. after fire gutted his brick home near Richland Mall.
"He had a perfect Saturday before he died. Carolina won, and Clemson lost," his friend Walter Copeland said.
Harvey's handyman, David Patrick Haynes, 38, of 405 Meadowbury Drive, Columbia, died at 8:26 a.m. Besides working at Harvey's home, Haynes served as his driver, taking him wherever he needed to go in Columbia, Harvey's friends said.
Deputy Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins said the blaze, which also charred a blue car on the property, is under investigation. It does not appear to be suspicious, he said.
Firefighters tried to revive the men after finding them in the house shortly after they arrived at 7:11 a.m. One was inside the front door; the other was found in a different part of the house, Jenkins said. No evidence of working smoke detectors was found, he said.
The residents in Harvey's middle-class neighborhood said they waved at him sometimes and said hello. Some remembered seeing Haynes at the house. But no one knew either man very well.
Those who knew them the best were at The Mousetrap on Middleburg Drive on Monday afternoon. About 5 p.m., one of the men at the bar mentioned that Haynes would be dropping off Harvey right about then like he did every Monday and Friday.
Harvey always sat in the same chair at the same table next to the door. His favorite drink was bourbon and water with a lemon in a tall glass.
"He always kept his lemons in his glass so he could tell how many drinks he had," his friend Norman Temple said.
Harvey, who never married, was a USC graduate and "good old boy," who retired several years ago from an electrical supply company, said Ross Holmes, who saw him at The Mousetrap last week.
Harvey had a Gamecock room in his house filled with jerseys and pictures, Copeland said.
"Every year, he would go to Bi-Lo and get one of the big Gamecock schedules," he said.
A redhead, Harvey resembled Red Buttons but hated to be called "Red," said another friend, Al Johnson.
Harvey quit driving around Columbia a while back after he accidentally bumped another car while leaving The Mousetrap. The car's owner followed him home, and the two exchanged words, Temple said. That scared him.
"He wasn't a good driver to start with," he said with a laugh.
But Harvey did drive to Spartanburg to visit his two sisters because he felt safer on interstates, his friends said.
On his last birthday, July 8, Haynes brought balloons and cards to The Mousetrap for the celebration, Copeland said.
One of The Mousetrap's owners, Elizabeth Jerry, stopped by Monday evening and glanced ruefully at Harvey's empty chair.
"I've known him for 28 years. This is such a shock to us. I'm going to really miss him."
Reach Lauren Leach at (803) 771-8549.
Distributed by the Associated Press
