Harvey Reeves

HARVEY AND SANDRA (SANDY) FIRST MET IN 1966 AT THE NIP & SIP WHEN HARVEY WAS ON LEAVE. THEY WERE INTRODUCED BY HIS FATHER, HOWARD. HARVEY WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE NAVY IN 1967 AFTER SERVICE IN SCOTLAND. SANDRA, EMPLOYED HIM AT HER PLACE OF BUSINESS, A CHICKEN DELIGHT IN BROOKLYN. LITTLE DID SHE REALIZE THAT ONE YEAR LATER, ON OCTOBER 12, 1968, THEY WOULD BE MARRIED AND HAVE BEEN TOGETHER SINCE THROUGH THICK AND THIN. HARVEY BEGAN SINGING IN A GROUP CALLED THE VELCORDS IN 1967. THE GROUP APPEARED AT THE APOLLO THEATER IN HARLEM FOR 24 WEEKS STRAIGHT. THEY WERE NOT “GONGED” OFF, BUT THE LIMIT WAS MET. HIS GROUP SANG WITH MANY POPULAR GROUPS ON STAGE, AND AS THE OPENING ACTS IN MANY CLUBS.HARVEY LEAVES BEHIND: A MOTHER (VERA STEVENSON), A SON, (HARVEY (SHAWAYNE) SIMMONS), A GRANDDAUGHTER (SACHAE), THREE SISTERS, A BROTHER, FOUR SISTER-IN-LAWS AND FOUR BROTHER-IN-LAWS, AN ABUNDANCE OF NIECES, NEPHEWS, COUSINS, AUNTS AND UNCLES. ALSO NOT TO BE FOREGOTTEN ARE THE MANY OTHER CHILDREN THAT HE LOVED AND WHO ADORED HIM THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. AS IF THEY WERE HIS OWN, ALONG WITH HIS OWN CHILDREN. HE SPOILED ALL OF THE CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND I DO MEAN SPOILED; THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHO THEY ARE. WE COULD NOT GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT THEM, I WAS HIS ROCK, HE WAS MY STONE, AND THEY WERE OUR PEBBLES.HARVEY WAS A BIG KID AT HEART AND WHENEVER HE HAD THE KIDS WITH HIM, HE WAS THE ONE THAT GOT BLAMED FOR EVERYTHING. HE TAUGHT THEM ALL HOW TO DO KARATE AND SHOOT POOL. HE NEVER LEFT HOME WITHOUT HIS POOL CUE. WHEN HE WAS WATCHING HIS STORIES, KARATE OR HORROR MOVIES, THEY KNEW NOT TO SPEAK UNTIL A COMMERCIAL, AND THEY LEARNED THAT THE HARD WAY! HARVEY BECAME SICK IN THE MIDDLE OF 1999 AND WAS HOSPITALIZED IN NOVEMBER OF 1999. HE FIRST WENT TO ARDEN HILL MENTAL FACILITY IN GOSHEN, NY, AND THEN WAS IN A NURSING HOME, FIRST AT MIDDLETOWN PARK MANOR IN MIDDLETOWN, NY, UNTIL HE ESCAPED ONE NIGHT AND THE WHOLE STAFF WAS OUT LOOKING FOR HIM. THEY FOUND HIM AT THE POLICE STATION AFTER ABOUT 1 ½ HOURS, HE TOLD THE DESK SARGEANT THAT I LEFT HIM ON ROUTE 211 AND, ASKED IF THEY WOULD CALL A CAB FOR HIM TO COME HOME. THINKING OF THAT NOW IS A BIT FUNNY, BUT IT WASN’T THEN THREE DAYS LATER HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO ANDOVER SUB-ACUTE AND REHABILITATION CENTER IN SUSSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY UNTIL HIS DEMISE. HE WAS A VERY PROTECTIVE PERSON. EVEN THROUGHOUT HIS ILLNESS, OF ALL HE CAME IN CONTACT WITH. NO ONE COULD BE ABUSED IN HIS SIGHT WITHOUT HIM TRYING TO PROTECT THEM. I WANT YOU ALL TO REMEMBER HARVEY THE WAY HE WAS: A BIG KID. FORGET THE BAD AND REMEMBER THE GOOD AND JOYFUL TIMES HE BROUGHT TO YOU ALL. HE HAS JOINED MANY LOVED ONES IN HEAVEN. THEY DO NOT ARGUE OR FIGHT IN HEAVEN, BUT THEY MAY BREAK A FEW RULES UNINTENTIONALLY. AND IF YOU HEAR HEAVENLY SINGING, IT IS HARVEY’S BEAUTIFUL VOICE RINGING DOWN! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS IN A TIME NOT OF SORROW, BUT RELIEF TO THE FAMILY, AND OTHERS, BUT MOSTLY TO HARVEY. HE IS NO LONGER SUFFERING, MAY HE REST IN PEACE. LOVE ALWAYS AND FOREVER, YOUR WIFE SANDY...

Fill not your hearts with pain and sorrow, but remember me in every tomorrow. Remember the joy, the laughter, the smile, I've only gone to rest a little while. Although my leaving causes pain and grief, my going has eased my hurt and given me relief. So dry your eyes and remember me, not as I am now, but as I used to be. Because I will remember you all and look on with a smile. Understand, in your hearts, I've only gone to rest a little while. As long as I have the love of each of you, I can live my life in the hearts of all of you.