John Thomas Harvey Sr.

John T. Harvey, Sr. passed away peacefully in his sleep at 96 years-old on December 21st, 2021. John T. Harvey, Sr., the eldest son of George and Florence Harvey, was born on May 16, 1925 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He moved to Baltimore, Maryland with his parents and two siblings, George Jr. and Angelina, at the age of three. His love of family was unparalleled. John married the love of his life, Veryl Iantha Bannister, on April 10, 1948 and had two beautiful children, Reverend John Harvey, Jr.(deceased) and Karen Greene. They were married for sixty-seven years until Veryl passed away in February of 2015. John was a caring and incredible patriarch, mentor, confidant and advisor to many in his church, community and family. John received his formal education from Baltimore City Public Schools, graduating from Dunbar High School in 1943. Immediately afterwards he served in the U.S. Navy as Motor Machinist Mate, Second Class receiving an Honorable Discharge in May 1946. John went on to work at the Social Security Administration and retired after thirty-five years of civil service. John also inherited an entrepreneurial spirit from his father and worked and invested in real estate. John and Veryl built a beautiful life together, serving in leadership roles in their church community, enjoying time with family and friends, and traveling together. John gave his life to Christ at an early age at the First Colored Peoples Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland where he was a devoted member for over eighty years. John always made himself available to manage any church project that needed his support. He actively served in many church ministries over the years including the Deacons, Trustees, Scholarship Committee, Boosters, Transportation Ministry, Sanctuary Choir, and as Scout Master for the Boy Scout Troop. John was also a dedicated member of the Dunbar Alumnae Class of ’43, providing scholarships to students in need and a member of the Regents. With Veryl at his side, he ventured on trips around the world including Alaska, Hawaii, Spain, Venezuela, Morocco and the Caribbean. John was an avid photographer always returning with many pictures, memories and souvenirs to share with family and friends at home. John is survived by his daughter, Karen Greene (Cal Jr.); grandchildren, Dawn Muhammad (Kenya), John Harvey III, Katrice Wiley (Kevin), Christopher Harvey, Justin Harvey, Jordan Sherpa (Dorje), Cal Greene III, Rachel Greene; great-grandchildren, Shanae Harvey, Julia Atopley (Kelvin), DeVhon Harvey, Isma’il Muhammad, Nicholas Sampson, Kevin Wiley II, Aminah Muhammad, Kalia Wiley, Justin Harvey Jr.;

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John Thomas Harvey Sr.

May 16, 1925 - December 21, 2021