Mary Jane Harvey

Durham, NC – Mary Jane “MJ” Harvey, age 94, died on May 25, 2022, in Durham, North Carolina. She was born on July 30, 1927, to the late Thomas Aloysius and Helen Maguire Shaw.

She was born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in Garden City, NY.  Mary Jane moved to Durham in 2017 after living in Las Vegas, NV, for 38 years; Pasadena, CA, for five years; and New York for the first 48 years of her life. Mary Jane lived in Manhattan for her young adult and early married life -- she was a New Yorker through and through. She met her beloved husband, Jack, at a party in 1959 and immediately knew he was something special. They had been married for 55 years before he died in 2014, and she missed him dearly until the end of her life. 

Mary Jane received her Associate's Degree from Centenary College (now University) in Hackettstown, NJ, then went to work in the fashion industry. She rose through the ranks to become a national sales manager for Christian Dior during an era when many women were not encouraged in their careers.  

In New York, she was active in her children’s schools (Convent of the Sacred Heart and St. David’s), at St. Vincent’s Hospital, in the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and in the Garden Club of Bedford, NY, where the family spent weekends and summers.

In Pasadena, the weather allowed her to more fully indulge in her love of tennis that started when she was young.  MJ was an avid tennis enthusiast and an active tennis player until age 84. She had a regular, competitive foursome in Las Vegas that played twice a week for 25 years. Such is her enthusiasm for the sport that, while in the emergency room with a broken femur at age 90, MJ was heard to say, “And on top of all this, Roger Federer lost his match today!”

An excellent fundraiser, planning events that raised thousands of dollars for various causes, MJ was active in the American Field Service (AFS) through Polytechnic School, as well as the Pasadena Garden Club and the Town Club.  In Las Vegas, she raised money for the local public television station, Las Vegas Symphony, and HELP of Southern Nevada, among other local nonprofits.  She was recognized by the Clark County Board of Commissioners for her “countless years of outstanding service to Clark County and its residents,” including her work of over 20 years on Las Vegas Flood Control, the Clark County Citizen Advisory Committee, and the Paradise Town Advisory Board; she was delighted and surprised that the Commissioners declared Tuesday, April 19, 2016, “MJ Harvey Day” in Clark County. A devout Roman Catholic, she was a lector at her church, the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer.

MJ had a great love of music, whether symphony, opera, Broadway musicals, or ‘big band.’ She lived with a song in her heart, from "Keep the Home Fires Burning” to "Some Enchanted Evening" to "Top of the World" by the Carpenters. She knew all the words to countless songs, and sang with a great deal of enthusiasm (even if a little off key!).

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jack (John F. Harvey); sister, Virginia S. Moriarty; and brother, Thomas A. Shaw, Jr.  She is survived by her daughters, Mary Lindley and Laura Treat; son, Thomas Shaw (Tim), and daughter-in-law, Anna Cruz Harvey; grandchildren, William and Matthew Harvey; brother-in-law, Jerry Harvey; and numerous nieces and nephews from the Shaw Family and Harvey family. 

A memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, July 30, at 11:30 a.m., at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 810 W. Chapel Hill Street, Durham, NC. In lieu of flowers, and in honor of MJ's devotion to the Blessed Mother, donations may be made to the Sisters of Charity (https://sistersofcharity.com/).  She would also want people to reach out and help or visit someone who is in need of the support of a good friend.  

The Harvey family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Service. 

Online condolences:  "http://www.hallwynne.com" www.hallwynne.com – select obituaries.