Kevin Michael Harvey

Kevin Michael Harvey of Worcester, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on Friday, July 31st, after a lengthy battle with lymphoma. He was 72 years old.

Kevin is survived by his beloved wife of twenty-four years, Christine Fallstrom; his daughter, Kate Harvey, her husband, Jason Carter, and their children, Liam and Grace Carter, all of Hillsboro, NH; his son, Ellery Harvey, of Portsmouth, NH; his sister, Janice Harvey, of Oxford, MA; his sister, Helen "Lyn" Harvey and her husband, Charlie Besardi of Hardwick, MA; his brother, Christopher Harvey and his wife, Kim Lizotte, of RI; and a niece and several nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Elinor (Abrazinski) Harvey and Howard Harvey.

Kevin was born in Worcester on January 24th, 1948, and attended Burncoat Senior High School, graduating in 1966. He earned his bachelor's degree in English from Worcester State College in 1976, and later went on to complete an MFA in Creative Writing at Vermont College in 1988.

Kevin was a Professor of English and Creative Writing at New England College in Henniker, NH, for over thirty years where he specialized in American Literature, the Beat Generation, short story writing, playwriting, and the works of Henry James. In 1989 Kevin traveled to West Sussex, England, where he was a guest lecturer at New England College Arundel. He was named Teacher of The Year in 2008, and retired as Professor Emeritus in 2010.

Among the many highlights of his long and esteemed writing career, Kevin's work was published in 5-Trope, Facets Magazine, and Muddy Waters Magazine, where he was a contributing music critic for many years. His play The French Impressionist Wrestler was awarded the Massachusetts Cultural Award in 2003. His seminal work Albert: A Play in One Act was published by Lambhouse Books and later included in Brilliant Flame: Poetry, Plays & Politics for The People (Third World Press) alongside such authors as Langston Hughes and Amiri Baraka. Albert: A Play in One Act was performed at Castillo Theater in New York City in 2018 under the direction of Woodie King Jr., starring Cory Glover and Robert Jimenez and featuring an original score by famed New York jazz musicians Jay Rodriguez and J.D. Parron.

After living in New Hampshire, Kevin returned to his beloved city of Worcester where he befriended countless people with his intrinsic gift for establishing personal relationships with those he met. Kevin's love for the city moved him to support many of Worcester's small businesses such as That's Entertainment, Al Bum's and Bedlam Books. Together Kevin and his wife supported Worcester's cultural scene, attending many music, art and literary events in the city.

Kevin also had a lifelong love for New York City, its theaters, its bookstores, and its record shops. He loved strolling the streets of Greenwich Village and he, with Christine, traveled there often. When at home, Kevin loved being surrounded by his significant collections of books, music and other ephemera. He was a voracious reader and enjoyed listening to all forms of music. His memory for detail was remarkable and contributed greatly to his abilities as a storyteller extraordinaire.

To his students, Kevin was a gifted lecturer, a sage mentor, and a stalwart ally who helped countless young writers find their voices. To his friends and colleagues, he was steadfast, loyal, and loved nothing more than sharing ideas with his comrades. To his family, he was an icon, a champion, and an ardent protector who placed no conditions upon his love. To all who knew him, he was a man of great depth and intelligence, full of kindness, compassion, curiosity, and deep passion. And to his many friends and acquaintances who were Red Sox followers, he could be an itch as an avid Yankees fan!

Kevin was also devoted to his two rescue cats, Lena, his constant companion, and Lana, his beloved circus cat. Any consideration of a charitable donation should be made to the Worcester Animal Rescue League in Kevin's name at 139 Holden Street, Worcester, MA 01606.

Kevin's family would like to thank the many friends who called and wrote to support Kevin during his illness. Although Kevin was unable to respond to all who reached out to him, the outpouring of love and concern touched him deeply. The family would also like to thank the staff at St. Vincent's Cancer and Wellness Center, especially Physician Assistant Paige Whitaker; Dr. Austen Kim at Dana Farber; and the staff at Worcester VNA Hospice.

Arrangements are being handled by Callahan, Fay & Caswell Funeral Home. Burial is to be private. A Celebration of Kevin's life will be held at a future date.