BUNICE HARVEY

Homer, Louisiana welcomed Bunice Marie Clark on August 27, 1941.  Her small loving family included her father, mother Lurene Robinson and a pet chicken named Penny.  Although Penny was cherished, Bunice humorously recalled that she was killed due to not having appropriate behavior as a chicken.  She remained in Louisiana until she was five years old before making the big move from Louisiana to California where she would live for the next forty years.

Although she was shy, Bunice excelled in school where she learned shorthand and typing…skills that she would use throughout her career as an administrator.  She had beautiful hand writing, loved to cook, knit, crochet, and possessed a generally pleasant demeanor. Her Narbonne High School yearbook signatures reveal that she was thought of as sweet and that success would certainly be hers.  Her brothers recall that she took them to amusement parks, baked peanut butter cookies and was always available to play with them and spend time.

In the early 1960’s Bunice shared that a young sailor named Millard Harvey, Jr. was seen sitting on the steps of her building day after day.   When she finally acknowledged him the two became inseparable.  Being a gentleman, he refused to ride in the Volkswagen that she drove and they dated on the bus.  Once married, he would purchase her many new cars and shower her with years of love and support.  After completing his military service, Millard and Bunice settled in Long Beach, California to raise their family.  While attending Revival Center Triedstone Church of God in Christ, Bunice taught Sunday School, YPWW, Purity Class, Women’s Ministry, hosted fund raisers, fashion shows, created programs, and facilitated Vacation Bible School just to name a few of her activities.  Her husband, Brother Millard as he was called, also accepted his call to ministry and was ordained as an elder.

The Harvey family moved from California to Texas in the late 1980’s serving at several local churches before finally founding Restoration Center Church of God in Christ.  Mother Harvey went on to become a District Missionary in her local area.  She never stopped working with children and young women.  She blessed thousands of families with toys, clothing and food.  Her philanthropy continued even into her retirement years as her relationships with local charitable organizations supported other ministries and blessed many families.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband Millard Harvey, Jr.  her daughter and son Millard III and Aubyn Harvey, her dear mother and father, Cal Sr. and Lurene Paysinger, her brother Earl Paysinger, sister Arenda Carol Paysinger and many others.

Mother Harvey’s full life of 80 years will forever be celebrated by her two daughters Leberta Lorál and Marlys Harvey Diggles.  One son-in-love Pastor David Diggles and one daughter-in-love Verna Nina Harvey.  Eleven grand-children Leonard Gray III, Marlyssa Binns, Ramon Jr. (Shauniya) Binns, Taysha Binns, Ashley Harvey, Daugene Brown, Olivia Armour, Kameron Clemons, Samaurii (Devhen) Lott, Jadyn Harvey Rowlett and Joel Bennett Rowlett and eight great grand-children.  She also leaves her two beloved brothers William (Wendeline) Clark and Cal Bennett Jr. (Annette) Paysinger, and a host of family and friends.