Robert E Harvey

Robert Eugene Harvey was born on August 5th,1934, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He was the second-oldest child, born to Edna Scher, a dedicated homemaker, and Benjamin Harvey, a Jewelry Buyer for John Wanamaker's Department Store in Philadelphia. Affectionately known as “Bob” by friends and family, he grew up with his siblings, Benjamin Jr., William, Bernadette, and Barbara.The family lived in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

He attended Little Flower Parish Grade School in Mt. Airy before moving on to North East Catholic High School, located in the Torresdale section of Philadelphia.

In 1953, after graduating from high school, Bob enlisted in the United States Air Force. There, he trained as a weapons mechanic and rose to the rank of flex gunnery sergeant. His military service took him to various locations, from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to Busan, South Korea, and also spent time in Miho, Japan.

Following his honorable discharge, Bob began his career as a switchman technician at Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic), where he worked for over 39 years.

In 1980, during a trip to the Philippines to visit his sister and her husband, Bob met Adelaida Ching Maamo, a Filipina who would become his beloved wife. Their union brought forth four sons into the world: Benjamin, William, Robert Jr., and Nicholas.
Bob took immense pride in being a devoted father, always aiming to provide for his family in any way that he could.

In 1996, Bob received a stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis, and shortly after, he also experienced ischemic optic neuropathy, which caused sudden vision complications, forcing Bob into an early retirement.

Despite his health struggles, including partial vision loss, Bob remained active post-retirement, dedicating himself to his wife and family. He took over household duties while Adelaida returned to the workforce. Bob’s faith was a significant part of his identity; a lifelong, devout Catholic, he volunteered regularly at Little Flower School and Parish. His contributions included mowing the church lawn, performing operational maintenance, and serving as the doorman at St. Therese. Bob was a true “Worker Bee,” always seeking ways to stay active, never allowing his ailments or vision loss to deter him from his passions, devotion to God, or helping his neighbors.

Shortly after celebrating his 90th birthday (which was a significant milestone), his health took a steep and steady decline. Ever the warrior, Bob survived a heart attack, surgical vision corrections, multiple cancer-related surgeries, cancer treatments, and rehabilitation. Throughout all of this, Bob’s faith and spirit remained strong.

Bob leaves behind a legacy of love and resilience. He is survived by his wife, Adelaida, and their four sons, his daughter-in-law Chauncie, as well as six grandsons: Julius, Kenji, Levi, Mateo, Nicholas Jr., and Orion Harvey.

His life was a testament to unwavering loyalty, not only to his family but also to his faith in God and community
Bob's memory will forever be cherished by those who knew and loved him.