Ruby Harvey - A Legacy of Strength and Selflessness that Lives on in Rochester

Mrs. Ruby Harvey (May 20, 1926 - Jan 5, 2014) was a beloved member of the Rochester community known for her unwavering dedication to her church, her family, and the countless lives she touched through her acts of kindness and service. For 60 years, Mrs. Harvey was an integral part of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as the Supervisor of the Youth Department and founded the Young Matron's Missionary Society.

Ruby Harvey with her husband Willie at her daughter Martha Hope's 25th wedding anniversary

Her commitment to serving "God's People," as she fondly referred to everyone, extended beyond the church walls. Mrs. Harvey was deeply involved in community initiatives, including her role as the New York State Baptist Convention District Officer of Youth and her instrumental contribution to the creation of the Coalition of Northeast Associates (CONEA). The first meeting of this non-profit organization was held at her home on 27 Skuse St., a testament to her leadership and community spirit. She also started a daycare in her home for low-income families in the neighborhood, where families paid whatever they could, even if that meant they couldn't pay at all.

Ruby with her grandson, Nasir Perez

In 1950, Mrs. Harvey moved to Rochester from Elizabeth, NJ, becoming the first Black family to reside on Cady Street. Her dedication to her neighborhood was evident in her efforts to keep the streets clean, for which she received the Street Sweeper Award from the City of Rochester.

However, perhaps her most significant contribution was the selfless act of she and her husband, Willie, fostering over 300 children, a service she continued until the age of 70. She and her husband also adopted three siblings that were placed in her home, one of whom was handicapped and not expected to live. As of this writing, that child is 34-years-old.

The adoption of Amber by Ruby and Willie Harvey (c.1990)

Mrs. Harvey's generosity extended to all who knew her. Her daughter, Martha Hope, fondly remembers their home as a place where there was always food available to family, friends and community, thanks to her mother's culinary skills and the vegetables from their garden. Mrs. Harvey's nurturing nature earned her the affectionate nickname "Ma Harvey," a testament to the love and care she offered not only to her own family, but also to the community at large.

In 1957, Mrs. Harvey met Margaret "Midge" Thomas when she and her husband, Dr. Freddie Thomas, moved in across the street to 26 Skuse St. This began a friendship that lasted over 50 years. Midge and Ruby were "partners in crime", so to speak, and together they had an enormous impact on thousands of people in the Rochester community. In fact, Midge, who is now 98, was herself inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame for her lifetime of philanthropic work.

Ruby (second from right) with family

Throughout her life, Mrs. Ruby Harvey was known for her strength, resilience, and unwavering commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. According to her daughter, Martha, "Our house was always a place where you felt welcome, and she was an excellent cook! People would stop by to just chat, eat a meal, pick vegetables from our garden, or just have a cup of coffee and dessert." This included two young boys in the neighborhood who she and Willie "practically raised".

She had a passion for the welfare of young people. "Everyone would call her 'Ma Harvey', and they still call her that even decades later," Martha recalls.

When asked when she knew her mom was special, Martha said, "I knew from a young age that my mom was special. She was a visionary; a strong, confident, no-nonsense, God-fearing woman who lived her life serving others. My mother was not afraid of hard work and taught us the same. She helped our dad build a fence around our house to keep her 6 children safe. She always took the lead, was always the protector. All 6 of us were taught survival skills, how to take care of ourselves. She was kind, big-hearted, and loving, but she was also strict and could hold her own. She didn't take 'no' for an answer."

According to her daughter, Ruby was constantly getting in trouble "because she wouldn't back down. She was courageous and stood her ground, and then it would all work out."

Ruby at her daughter Arneska Harvey's graduation, 1983

"She was just phenomenal," says Martha. "Our mother was a woman of great wisdom and would serve as a counselor for people in the community. She would inspire others to do the right thing. Less talk, more action. Just do what needs to be done."

Her husband, Willie Harvey, would explain to people about Ruby that her word was her bond, and that if it needed to be done "she'd make it happen."

Everyone loved Ruby. When she passed, Reginald Greer shared that "She was such a beautiful person! Every time she was at the church or a funeral service and I had to sing she would say 'Now we gonna have some church'."

Women's Day at Christian Friendship Missionary Baptist Church with "Mother Nelson"

Mrs. Harvey continues to inspire, remembered as a woman of great wisdom, compassion, and determination.

She leaves as her legacy the Feed the Hungry Ministry, which she founded in 1997, at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church at 304 Joseph Avenue. According to the church's documented history, over 400,000 people in the community have been fed or clothed through this ministry.

Her legacy of service and her principles for life are kept alive through her daughters, Martha L. Scofield Hope and Arneska M. Harvey, both committed to the service of others.

The family of Ruby Harvey at the commemoration of a bench & flower planter in her name

Commemorated on August 14, 2024

Ruby Harvey with granddaughter Maya Rochon

Ruby and Willie Harvey at a Georgia family reunion

Ruby with dear friend Lee Jenkins at a foster care adoption conference in New Mexico