Miriam Cynthia Harvin-Evans

Miriam Cynthia Harvin - Evans, lovingly known by her nickname “Chubbi,”was born to Evelyn Inez Harvin and Hosea Theodore Harvin on March 8th, 1951. She was born in Washington, DC and established her roots in the Shaw neighborhood of Northwest. There was no shortage of love in the Harvin household, as Miriam was the youngest of 8: Hosea Jr. [d.], George [d.], Sam [d.], Evelyn (Toot) [d.], Hannah Jean [d.], Juanita (Yvonne/Vonnie)[d.] and Augustus (Gus/Harvin-Bey) [d.]. Miriam’s unconditional love for her family could be seen in her close relationships with her siblings and their children, who she would often be found babysitting nieces and nephews: Sharon & Anthony [d.] (Sam), Jackie & Sylvester (Toot) and Mike [d.], Shelley [d.] & Bill (Yvonne).

This love was also evident in the everlasting childhood friendships Miriam made, as she drew people in with her kindness, infectious smile, quick sense of humor and her signature laugh. An inquisitive learner, Miriam prided herself on education and seeking knowledge. She attended Thompson Elementary, Cleveland Elementary and Shaw Jr. High before ending up at Cardozo Senior High School, where she took a special interest in literature, history and politics. It was during this time that she welcomed her eldest daughter Jerri into the world. Miriam loved being a mother more than anything and embraced this new chapter while balancing her education. Her dedication to motherhood remained strong as she welcomed her youngest daughter, Kelli, into the world nine years later. Motherhood had also become a huge motivator for Miriam to continue pursuing her own educational interests, which had fueled a lifelong passion for social justice and advocacy. She would often recall joining her siblings downtown in the 60’s and 70’s to protest political and racial injustices, all with her daughter in-hand. She went on to take classes at Howard University and used the knowledge she acquired to build a career at the Department of Commerce that spanned over 30 years.

Miriam also adored sharing her interests in the arts with her loved ones. She enjoyed taking her daughters to the ballet, theatres and museums and could be seen on any day listening to Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye or the Temptations. Her weekends often included hand-dancing - a favorite hobby of hers - at the Eclipse or the Chateau with close friends. Her love for hand-dancing sparked its own love in early 90’s when she reconnected with Warren Evans, an old friend from her neighborhood. Miriam and Warren became a dynamic duo that shared a sharp sense of line dances, baking cakes and learning about the Harvin family history. After Warren’s passing in 2014, Miriam spent her time on phone calls with her sisters and nieces that frequently led to adventuring around DC. She could also be found cracking jokes with her grandchildren at home while enjoying her routine of reading the Washington Post as her favorite shows - MSNBC News, Jeopardy, Perry Mason or Murder She Wrote - played in the background. Miriam was a comedian, superhero, cheerleader, rebel and best friend with a dynamic spirit, generous heart and unrelenting joy. She stayed this way until her peaceful transition on May 23, 2025, where she was surrounded by her immediate family.

Miriam was preceded in death by her mother and father, husband, siblings, in-laws Patricia (Trish) and Josephine (Bootsy), nieces Shelley (Renee) and Kennethia (Kia), nephews Kenneth (Mike), Anthony (Tony) and Demetri (Duck), as well as sister-friends Pat, Claudette and Shirlene. Her light continues to shine through the family she leaves behind: daughters Jerri Artis (Stanley) and Kelli Harvin, her six grandchildren - Gabrielle, Kaivon, Amanda, Kamanye, Alonzo and Kelis, her beloved in-laws and a host of nieces, nephews and lifelong friends who will deeply miss her.