James (Jim) Erwin Harvey

James Erwin Harvey was born on February 1, 1931, in Portland, Oregon, and passed away at his home in Boise, Idaho, on April 9, 2025 at the age of 94, after a long and rich life.

Jim was the only child of Harrelson and Cecilia (Tannler) Harvey. His parents wished for children, and when he finally arrived, he was greatly loved and doted on. As a boy, Jim attended Alameda Grade School and Grant High School. It was during his school years that he discovered his earliest interests and talents. He was artistically gifted, and started an art club with three other boys at Alameda who remained lifelong friends: Gary, Stacy and Norm. He also fell in love with magic, and with the support of his folks, he studied the art and started to amass a trunk full of magic props with which he performed in talent shows and for church groups and local parties. During his teen years, Jim also realized a deep connection with his Catholic faith, becoming an active member of his neighborhood church, the Madeleine.

In 1952, he graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a commission as an Army 2nd Lieutenant, Infantry. Shortly after graduation, Jim married Carol Braun, a lovely and bright Portland Rose Festival princess. They were stationed first in Georgia and then in San Miguel, California, where they welcomed their first child, James Carl, in 1953. Upon Jim’s release from active duty in 1954, the family moved back to Portland where Jim joined the Portland Police Bureau. Their first daughter, Terryl Ann, was born later that year. Her birth had complications, and Terryl was born with severe cerebral palsy. Later, the family expanded to include four more children, Robert Alan, Richard James, Michael Joseph and Lorraine Carol. Over a period of 27 years, Jim worked many different assignments for the Portland Police Bureau and earned accolades for his marksmanship and his leadership. Like many police officers during that time, Jim practiced the martial art of judo, and advanced to the level of brown belt. All this time, Jim also continued his military career in the Army Reserve, teaching and ultimately serving as the commandant of 6 ITAAS, a reserve unit that specialized in providing military intelligence training.

In 1970, Jim and Carol realized a lifelong dream of owning property on the Oregon coast, purchasing land in Rockaway Beach. They had house plans drawn up, and Jim began building. On many weekends he could be found there plumbing, wiring, cutting and hanging sheetrock – all self-taught skills, and in the days before YouTube tutorials! It was a labor of love for him. The Oregon coast was where Jim went to re-set, to pray, and to enjoy life. The home he built there with his own two hands gave him and his family years of joy.

In 1975, Jim earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Portland.

Jim’s beloved wife Carol lost her life in a traffic accident in March of 1980 on the way home from choir practice. The sudden loss of Carol shook the entire family and altered life forever. Exactly one year later, Jim retired as Captain of the Portland Police Bureau’s Training Division. And in 1984, he retired as a Colonel in the US Army Reserve.

He entered Mt. Angel Seminary in 1982. In his third year there, Jim organized a class tour of the Holy Land. Traveling through Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the areas around the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea and other holy sites in the region, offered a deep and joyful experience for Jim and his classmates. Another dream realized! In 1986, he received a Masters of Divinity degree from Mt. Angel Seminary, and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Orange, California. He served as an associate pastor for five years, then became inactive due to health issues and other complications.

Jim authored two books, Who’s in Charge: Leadership Skills for Clergy and Others in Ministry, and a memoir, Cops, Crooks and Clergy: A Long Journey to Inside the Catholic Church. He also published numerous articles on police work.

In 1992, Jim married Beverly Finnerty in Los Alamitos, California. They enjoyed 26 years of loving support in their life together. They were able to travel to Europe and Hawaii several times during their retirement years. Jim was preceded in death by parents Harrelson and Cecilia Harvey, by his first wife Carol Harvey, son James Carl Harvey, daughter Terryl Ann Winnett and his second wife, Beverly Finnerty-Harvey. He is survived by sons Robert Allan Harvey, Richard James Harvey, Michael Joseph Harvey, daughter Lorraine Carol Regan, and five grandchildren; James, Michelle, Audrey, Tannler and Camille.

It’s impossible to sum up Jim Harvey in a short write-up: Son. Husband. Father. Police Captain. Army Colonel. Priest. But he was SO much more than his familial and professional accomplishments. If you knew Jim, you knew he had the quickest of wits, a sense of humor that was entirely out-of-the box, and a creative mind that wouldn’t stop. He was intelligent, laser-focused, charismatic, a perfectionist, and deeply spiritual. He loved theater, art and music, and tried to make the world a better place through service. He will be greatly missed.

A funeral Mass for Jim will be held at 11a.m. on Friday, September 19, 2025, at Christ the King Church,11709 SE Fuller Road, in Milwaukie, Oregon, followed by a short reception in the parish hall and then interment at Willamette National Cemetery (with military honors) at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, we suggest honoring Jim’s memory with a donation to United Cerebral Palsy, https://ucp.org/ or the Portland Police Bureau’s Sunshine Division, https://sunshinedivision.org/.