Obituary of James Edward Harvey, Jr.

James Edward Harvey Jr. was born on January 23, 1954. He was the second of five children born to Viola Dahl and James Harvey Sr. in Brooklyn, NY. As the first-born son naturally he was responsible, a protector and a caregiver to his siblings. He was a headstrong, alpha male affectionately known as Jimmy. Jimmy attended elementary and middle school in both Brooklyn and Queens. He attended Bushwick High School and then Queens College in 1974. While attending Queens College, Jimmy met his beloved wife Dora Jewell. They married in 1975 after their first year in college. Jimmy and Dora would conceive and raise five beautiful children; Yolanda Jewell, Lawrence Emanuel, Warren Edward, Kimberly Dorine, and Eric James; in a marriage that spanned nearly forty-five years in their home in Queens, NY. Jimmy had a passion throughout his life for the great outdoors. He loved camping, fishing, animals and plant life. He grew his own herbs, fruits and vegetables in his garden. He enjoyed swimming and riding his bike. He often taught the younger children how to swim and to not be afraid of the water. Jimmy enjoyed listening to music, especially old school R&B and Jazz. He loved summer camp and mentoring the youth and was able to fulfill both of these passions during his time with the Fresh Air Fund as a young adult. Jimmy loved family vacations, family dinners, family gatherings and making great memories with his wife and five children. He loved to tell his children stories of his childhood and travels around the world. He often expressed how proud he was to have five college-educated children and often said they were his greatest accomplishments. Jimmy loved and had a passion for boxing. He mentored and trained countless fighters and athletes from the Golden Gloves to Welter Weight Championship of the World. He represented Brooklyn strong and was a staple at Gleason’s Gym. For many years, he helped train his nephews throughout their boxing careers and was excited to see them grow in the sport. Everyone affectionately called him “Uncle Jimmy”. Jimmy was tough and strong, yet kind and gentle; he loved children and spending time with them. He had an infectious smile and laugh. He enjoyed cooking and watching cooking shows. He was a straight shooter who told it like it was, not in a hurtful way but he just kept it real and spoke plainly. Throughout the years, Jimmy worked as a Peace Officer for the City of New York. He was a shop steward for the Teamsters Union Local 237 for years as he was passionate about fighting for injustices inflicted upon others. Jimmy later ran his own security and construction companies alongside his brother Yoel. He was known for traveling with his nephews and other athletes as a world-class boxing trainer. Jimmy had a profound love for his family. He also touched the lives of a countless number of people with his profound wisdom, exceptional spirit, and intuitive ways of making a person feel special. Jimmy had a very strong will and had a spirit of perseverance with everything he approached. He had great survival skills and could help get you through anything with almost nothing. He loved spending time upstate on his mother’s land enjoying the outdoors and suburban life. Jimmy was always a pillar of strength and support whether it be for his mother, siblings, nieces, nephews, wife, or children. Jimmy always encouraged people to do whatever brought them joy in life. After a quick but fierce battle with cancer, Jimmy passed away on July 26, 2020, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He was only 66 years old. Jimmy leaves behind his wife Dora; his daughters, Yolanda and Kimberly; sons, Lawrence, Warren, and Eric; his mother, Viola; his siblings, Janet, Yoel, Joann, and Karen; a host of nieces and nephews; and sisters and brothers-in-law. Jimmy was loved tremendously. He was a great husband, father, brother, son, uncle and friend. His presence will truly be missed, but his strong spirit will live on forever.