Wednesday morning, May 8, 2024, Mrs. Maureen Joyce Harvey (nee: Sherlock), age 90, resident of Jasper Place, unexpectedly entered the presence of her Lord and Saviour at Thunder Bay Regional Hospital emergency room.
Maureen was born on April 3, 1934, in Port Arthur, Ontario to Vi and Stan Sherlock. She was educated at Queen Elizabeth Public School and Port Arthur Collegiate Institute. After graduation, she attended the Atkinson’s School of Nursing, Toronto Western Hospital. Subsequently, she completed a year of midwifery training at Chicago Lying In Hospital delivering babies in the Chicago slums. Upon returning to Canada, she worked in Obstetrics at Port Arthur General Hospital and in 1957 married her high school sweetheart, Jerome Harvey. They moved to Toronto where she put her husband through medical school until the arrival of their first child. After Jerome graduated, they moved to Detroit in 1960 where Jerome completed his medical internship for a year before moving back to Port Arthur. They lived in Port Arthur for five months before moving to Nipigon where Jerome set up his medical practice. It was there that Maureen lovingly raised eight children. Her home was always open to others and was a safe haven for all who entered.
She spent many hours cheering at the hockey arena and driving to Thunder Bay for swimming and music lessons. For many years, she hosted Inter School Christian Fellowship week-end retreats for large groups of teenagers in their home. She also held inter-denominational Bible Studies for neighbourhood women. She taught Vacation Bible School to children during the summers, and amid her already busy schedule, she found time to help as camp nurse at Dorion Bible Camp and Manitoba Pioneer Camp. Is it any wonder that this woman won the arm wrestling contest at the Nipigon Fall Fishing Festival much to the surprise of the local lumberjacks!
In 1976, the family moved to Niger, West Africa to work as medical missionaries. At Galmi Hospital, she put her nursing skills to practice by caring daily for up to 300 children in her under 5 clinic. She also assisted the over worked nurses in the 80 bed hospital. Maureen set an example for the nationals who were afraid to donate blood by giving regular blood donations herself. She endeared herself to the local population by learning to speak their Hausa language.
In 1980, the family relocated to Thunder Bay where she provided prenatal care as well as TENs therapy for pain at Jerome’s office. Maureen was a frequent speaker and executive member of Thunder Bay Christian Women’s Club for many years. She was an active member of Grace Evangelical Church. For the last twenty years, she continued to be the wind beneath her husband’s wings by supporting him as he developed the humanitarian ministry MEMO, an organization that ships ocean going containers of used but still useful medical supplies and equipment to third world countries.
She is survived by her husband, Jerome, her brother Robert Sherlock, and sister Carol Harron, seven of her eight children Liz, Chris, Richard, John, Kim, Pam, and Robin. She took great delight in every one of her seventeen grand-children and ten great-grandchildren. She deeply cared for and was a great support to every one of them.
She is predeceased by her parents, Stan and Vi Sherlock, her son Jerry Harvey, and her grandson Andrew Foulds. She was dearly loved by all.
Most important to her was knowing, loving, and serving Jesus and sharing him with others.
Cremation has taken place and a funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 18 at 1:00pm at Grace Church, 289 N. Court Street. Reception to follow in the Fellowship Hall.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to MEMO to honour Maureen’s extraordinary life and memory. For donation details see www.memoministry.org
Condolences may be made through www.nwfainc.com
