James Frank Harvey

Obituary For James Frank Harvey

James Frank Harvey, son of the late Frank and Tinnie Rivers Harvey, was born July 5th, 1939 in Avera, Georgia. He was the oldest son and fifth of seven children.

Homegoing Celebration will be held Saturday, April 4, 2026 at 2:00 P.M. at the Stone Springfield A.M.E. Church, 7476 Highway 296, Stapleton, GA. Interment will be held in the Stone Springfield A.M.E. Church Cemetery.

Public viewing will be held Friday, April 3, 2026 from 3:00 to 6:00 P.M. at Davis Funeral Home.

James attended Jefferson County Public schools during his formative years. James accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Stone Springfield AME Church.

The first-born son is traditionally held to a standard that helps him become a role model within the family. James learned the value of hard work, when he worked on the farm with his dad as a youngster.

He was eager to earn a living and his entrepreneurial spirit led him to his work as a shoe shiner. Those early experiences contributed to the character of James as an adult and head of his own family. He was the embodiment of reliability and a sharp dresser to boot. James Frank Harvey, knew the value of a man in a suit and tie, accompanied by a good pair of shoes.

When he was eighteen years old, James was inspired by his older sisters move up north to New York City. He followed her as she migrated there in pursuit of greater job opportunities and social freedom.

James never shied away from hard work. He was an early riser and proactively remained employed. He was initially a taxi driver and subsequently worked as a seasonal presser in a sweater factory.

James never let hardships deter him from achieving his goals. He was steadfast and attentive in his role as a father and family leader. Throughout his years, in working-class neighborhoods, Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn, he touted his love for Georgia. His lofty goals of returning there and building a home may have seemed farfetched to the average person. God blessed James with a grateful spirit and “sticktoitiveness” to get the job done.

In the mid 1980s, when the opportunity arose for James to become employed by Dunn and Sons Maintenance Corporation, the proprietary company owned by James’ extended family, he proudly accepted. He rose to the occasion, as a stellar employee who served as a role model for his fellow coworkers, Mr. James was dutiful, arrived ahead of his scheduled time, and never missed a day of work. He was well respected and beloved by the staff and management while providing janitorial services at “The Port”.

He worked there at the Port Authority Bus Terminal of NY & NJ in the heart of NYC until he fully retired on December 15th, 2004.

Shortly after arriving in New York, James met Alice and they were blessed with a daughter, Barbara. In 1961, he married Isabelle Washington and from their union Lorne, Edwin Gerard and Idethia Shevon were born in 1962 and 1965, respectively. When their marriage dissolved, Isabelle and the children relocated to South Carolina. Every summer James would bring the children back home to visit the family.

In the late 1970s, James met Cyra Sykes and their loving relationship was blessed with a daughter, Jasmine Chappelle, in 1978. They worked together raising Jasmine, and guiding a teenaged Shelly into adulthood, while creating great memories as a family. In 1996, they amicably separated but remained good friends.

James reunited with his childhood sweetheart, Christine Brown, and they married on July 27, 2001. In their time apart both created bountiful families and they each lovingly embraced the others’ children as their own bonus kin. They returned to Stapleton in 2005. James and Christine were inseparable and their love for one another was an inspiration to many.

James was preceded in death by daughter Martha Ann McNeil, grandsons Daniel Esteban Fernandez and Christopher Harvey, two sisters, Aaliyah Nabawi and Jeanette Harvey Tremble.

James leaves to mourn wife Christine Hannah Harvey, sisters Clara L. Oliphant, Mary E. Jennings Tinnie (Horace) Hannah, and brother, Tommy (Barbara) Harvey, and bonus sister/ niece Mary Lee Williams, his daughters, Barbara Harvey, Gloria (Willie) Dunbar, Idethia Shevon Harvey, Jasmine Sykes, and Shelly (Romero) Chambers, sons, Edwin Gerard Harvey, Lorne Harvey and, James (Pamela) Brown, grand children, Alexander Harvey, Autumn (Craig) Davids, Calvin (Darosina) Harper, Chequadia Harvey, Cyra Kunk, Dakota Chambers, Daniel Harvey (Cierra Edwards), Eddie Brown, Ellis Harvey, Fletcher McNeil, James Morris-Brown, Jr., Juwan Morris-Brown, Liam Collier, Lorne Harvey, Jr., Michal Harvey, O. Harvey Kunk, Sahara Morris-Brown and, Tasha McNeil, great-grandchildren Daesha Jordan, Jamirria Brown, Jesiah Normal, Jiyah Brown, Kyler Harper, London Davids, London Morris-Brown, Makayla Brown, Nariah Harper, Paris Morris-Brown, Quentarious Bell, Ricardo Sturgis, Jr., Talia Warmsley, great-great grandchildren Brailen Brown, Jhream Jordan, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family and friends too numerous to mention. We are all James’ children, by birth and by love and together, we will carry on his legacy of kindness, compassion and strength.

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