If you’re old enough to have frequented the first ever McDonald’s restaurant in Benton Harbor, you likely saw Paul Harvey. Not that radio guy, Paul Harvey. Benton Harbor and South Bend’s Paul Harvey. If you were a fan of college football, you likely saw Paul Harvey, without necessarily even knowing who he was, because he was perpetually standing within arms length of the legendary coaches of Notre Dame. If you lived in South Bend you may actually have had “business” with Paul Harvey when he was a long time city police officer. Now…those who knew and loved Paul Harvey — our Paul Harvey — are mourning his death this week in South Bend at the age of 82.
Paul Harvey was an absolute gentleman, but he was also absolutely a force to be reckoned with if you were on the wrong side of the law or a threat to those he was charged with protecting. Anybody who ever truly knew and enjoyed any kind of relationship with our friend Paul Harvey absolutely loved the man. That’s the kind of emotion he evoked from everybody.
Paul was born in 1935 to the late Armey Lee and Rebecca (Redding) Harvey on June 8th, in South Bend. In February of 1956 he married Sharon Marie Butler who remained his partner in business and in life until she died early in 2015. Paul died this past Tuesday, July 18th, 2017 at Creekside Village in Mishawaka, Indiana.
In his first chosen career, Paul served as a South Bend Police Officer for more than 20 years before relocating with Sharon in 1979 to Benton Harbor where he established, owned and operated two McDonald’s franchise restaurants. He also served his community as a member of the Benton Harbor Area School Board, as Benton Township Police Chief, Township Trustee, and even Township Supervisor for a number of years, helping the community to grow and advance.
The Harveys ended up moving back to South Bend in 2012 when his battle with Parkinson’s disease began to progress.
In his youth, Paul played basketball at South Bend Central High School and led the team to the 1953 Indiana High School State Basketball Championship. Subsequently, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
Paul Harvey was a truly selfless man who helped countless people throughout his life until his health began to deteriorate more than a decade ago in 2006. He also worked for Darling International, Inc — owners and operators of Michiana Sewer — and numerous community board designations and appointments through the years.
His gregarious nature and genuine love and caring for his fellow man — unless they were on the wrong side of the law when he was wearing a badge — is legendary on both sides of the Michigan/Indiana border.
Paul enjoyed many a hobby over his lifetime, but entertaining for anyone and everyone was a true favorite, and he was very good at it, making everyone welcome always. His absolute favorite activity and opportunity for nearly 20 years was the thrill of running onto the football field at Notre Dame Stadium, or wherever his team was playing, alongside the players and coaches with the Fighting Irish football team. Paul was always one of the team’s biggest fans, and he felt like a teenager every fall thanks to his body guard role for legendary coaches like Lou Holtz, Dan Devine and others.
Paul’s daugther, Paula, recalls that the Harvey household was always a safe haven for lots of Notre Dame football players including the legendary quarterback Joe Montana who went on to super star fame with the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL. In later years, when their paths crossed, Paul told Montana, “I watch you on TV on Sundays,” to which Montana replied, “And I watch you on TV on Saturdays.” Paul met many legendary people in his life and posed for photos with the likes of Elvis, President Ronald Reagan, and Muhammad Ali among them.
In writing about Paul Harvey’s life and times in the area, The South Bend Tribune called him “A heroic cop who once had a double-barreled shotgun held under his chin while putting an end to a hostage situation.” The story continued, “He may be best known for changing places with hostages with fellow officer Larry Hostetler during a foiled robbery at the old Rosenbaum’s store in 1975. Paul eventually convinced the gunmen to give up.”
Paula says he was always ready to help, and even would pull people off the street in Benton Harbor and put them to work at his McDonald’s franchise, “Just to let them have a chance.” That’s the kind of guy he was and will always be remembered for.
Survivors left to cherish his memory include his daughter Paula Harvey of Benton Harbor, who works for Harbor Shores, his son, Michael Harvey of Granger, Indiana; four grandchildren: Kellen and Jalen Harvey of Benton Harbor, Nicole (Billy) Ryan of Orlando, Florida and Khris Harvey of Cocoa Beach, Florida; one great-grandchild Liam Ryan of Orlando; three sisters, Barbara Joseph of Conyers, Georgia; Joan Winters of South Bend, and Delores Moore of South Bend. He was preceded in death by his parents, Armey and Rebecca Harvey; wife Sharon Harvey; brother Andrew Harvey and sister Anna Marie Harvey-Anderson.
Funeral services will be held at Sunnyside Presbyterian Church in South Bend next Tuesday, July 25th, and per Paul’s wishes, he has been cremated through the services of Alford’s Mortuary in South Bend.
