Peter Harvey

Peter Harvey, age 88 of Littleton, passed away at home surrounded by his loving family, on Saturday, March 23, 2024 following a period of ill health.

Peter was born in Cambridge, MA on February 11, 1936 to James and Ethel (Rivers) Harvey. He grew up in Belmont, MA, the youngest of four children. A 1953 graduate of Belmont High School, Peter spent a formative preparatory year at Belmont Hill School in 1954 where he captained the junior varsity hockey team, played soccer and baseball, and made lifelong friends.

Peter graduated with a B.A. in English Literature from Tufts University in 1958. Following his graduation, Peter moved to Washington, DC and worked as a production assistant for CBS News, where he had the opportunity to work with well-known journalists and even meet a former U.S. President. After moving back to Massachusetts, Peter began work for the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC), the Massachusetts state agency that supports people with disabilities in providing training, employment and community building. Peter started with the Agency as a rehabilitation counselor, obtained his M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Assumption College in 1973, and rose through the ranks at MRC, becoming the Agency’s Human Resources Director, a role he retained until his retirement in 1998.

On August 7, 1965, Peter married Carol (Keenan), with whom he shared 58 loving years of marriage. They lived in Harvard, MA early in their marriage and settled in Littleton, MA, where they raised two daughters.

Peter loved his family above all else. He spent endless afternoons with his girls teaching them board games, playing baseball, and taking them on outings, including countless Red Sox games. He supported his daughters with their activities in their youth, and provided wise counsel and companionship throughout their adulthoods. In later years, Peter and Carol enjoyed their retirement, traveling to the UK, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Ecuador.

Golf was a passion for Peter, and he enjoyed playing on a regular basis, whether at home or on vacation, and especially enjoyed participating in the annual family golf tournament, the Harvey Open. Peter’s love of golf extended to faithfully watching tournaments on TV. He also enjoyed crossword puzzles; reading, especially mysteries and history; his cherished Red Sox; movie musicals; and cooking. He enjoyed annual summer vacations with his family by the ocean in Moody Point, Wells, and Ogunquit, Maine. For Peter, Sunday was not complete without the newspaper—typically several, and he never met a library book sale he didn’t like. His constant companion in his later years was his dog, Babe. Peter had a wonderful, witty sense of humor that brightened everyone’s day and won him many loyal friends.

Peter was the beloved husband of Carol, who cared for him lovingly during his illness; devoted father of Kathy Harvey-Ellis (Craig) of Sharon, MA and Laura Harvey Iglesias (Maurice) of North Yarmouth, ME; cherished brother of Joan Burns of Stow; loving grandfather to Benjamin and Sofia; and dear uncle to many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, all of whom he enjoyed catching up with at the Harvey Christmas Eve Party—another of his favorite annual events. He was predeceased by his parents, and his brothers James and David.

Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Peter for visiting hours on Friday, April 5^th from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Badger Funeral Home, 347 King Street, Littleton. His funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, April 6^th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Elizabeth’s of Hungary Church, 89 Arlington Street, Acton. Burial will follow in Westlawn Cemetery, Littleton, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, https://act.alz.org/donate or VNACare Hospice, https://vnacare.org