Thomas “Tom” G. Harvey

HAVERHILL, Mass. – Thomas “Tom” G. Harvey, 82, formerly of South Paris, died Jan. 10, 2022, at a Haverhill, Mass. hospital, surrounded by loved ones. He was born May 1, 1939, in Fort Fairfield, son of Kingdon and Erminie (Davis) Harvey.

Tom graduated from Fort Fairfield High School in 1957, married his high school sweetheart, Barbara A. Clark, and joined the U.S. Army. After the service, Tom studied and graduated from the University of Maine in 1964 with a B.S. in Education and 1966 with an M.A. in Teaching.

Tom’s career began in Danielson, Conn., teaching English at Killingly High School for 14 years. In 1979, Tom took a hiatus from teaching to become the third generation owner, editor and publisher of the Fort Fairfield Review, an independently owned and operated weekly newspaper in Aroostook County. Tom enjoyed being a journalist and won several awards from the Maine Press Association for his writing.

In 1988, Tom returned to his first love, teaching, at Oxford Hills High School, in Norway. He was able to combine his love of teaching and journalism, at OHHS. Tom was well loved by both colleagues and students. Tom taught so much more than English or Journalism to his students, and he did so through humor, self-deprecation, kindness, caring, and, most of all, through love.

Tom retired from teaching in 2007. However, Tom was not through teaching entirely, as in 2011, he wrote and published the book, Listen to Your Kids, which offers solutions for teachers and parents facing modern education challenges.

Tom’s quick wit and witticism were well known if you had the privilege to spend any time with him. One of his favorite sayings was, “No one ever died from laughter” and he made sure of that in everything he did. In his youth and young adult years, Tom was an avid fisherman and pilot.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by brother, James, sister, Lorraine; son, Robert; grandson, Ben; and nephew, J. D.

Surviving, in addition to his beloved wife of 65 years, Barbara (Clark) Harvey, are his son, James and wife Edith of Andover, Mass., daughter, Carmen and husband Rod of Newmarket, N.H.; five grandchildren, Erin Euelle, Nicole Harvey, Elisabeth Harvey, Joshua Brandt, and Griffin Brandt; two great-grandchildren, Alexis and Autumn; one great-great-grandson, Gunnar; one sister, Marcia and her husband Dick Langley of Fort Fairfield; many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held for Tom in the spring. Please check Tom’s facebook page for more information.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Tom’s name to:

Responsible Pet Care of Oxford Hills

P.O. Box 82

Norway, ME 04268

http://www.responsiblepetcare.org/donate-funds or:

Fort Fairfield Library

339 Main St.

Fort Fairfield, ME 04742

http://www.fortfairfieldlibrary.org