Robert Merritt Harvey, 91, from Lead, SD passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, December 11, 2020. He was very healthy riding his bicycle and dancing on May 3, diagnosed with cancer May 6 and passed away a very short seven months later.

Dad was born September 25, 1929 in Deadwood, SD to Bryan and Carrie (Merritt) Harvey. He lived in Moskee, WY from birth to eight years old and talked often about his fond memories from there. The family then moved to Spearfish where he graduated from Spearfish HS and Black Hills State. Dad entered the Navy in January 1951 and proudly served aboard the destroyer USS Lyman K. Swenson until November 1952.

Shortly after the military Dad met Mom, Barbara Gengler of Lead, SD at a dance. They married December 27, 1954 and danced as often as they could for the next 66 years. They immediately started a family while Dad worked as a mechanic at the Spearfish Chevrolet garage and continued his undergraduate (BH) and post graduate (Greeley, CO, Powell, WY and Portland, OR) education in Math and Chemistry. Dad proudly taught math to thousands of students in the Lead-Deadwood school system for 34 years. He was demanding yet always had the extra time for those that needed help to succeed. As a result he was invited to many class reunions as a favorite teacher. He remembered many students' names and faces even decades later. He loved to follow his students' lives and careers.

Dad worked a total of 12 years at the Chevy garage in Spearfish starting at the age of 14. That began a lifelong love of cars where he kept many family and friends' cars running, rebuilding engines and fixing millions of dents from us kids! He meticulously restored several old cars in retirement. He loved his Model T Club.

Dad and Mom bought our beloved cabin on Hanna Road in their early 30s with five kids on board. We spent every summer at the cabin working many of them at nearby Wickiup Cabins to send us through college and save up for ski trips. He rebuilt the cabin into a loving warm home where they spent their retirement and we all love to come home for comfort.

Dad learned to snow ski in Moskee and brought the whole family into it in the mid 60s. Every weekend during the winter was spent at Terry Peak or Jackson Hole, WY. Dad and Mom skied into their 70s.

Dad also loved to hunt especially with fellow teachers and his sons. In his 80s he finally drew an elk tag which he filled in one shot. Another passion for dad was traveling the world. Mom and Dad traveled six of the seven continents in retirement with Dad's sister Carol and her husband. They danced most nights on those trips!

Grateful and blessed for having shared our lives with him are wife, Barbara Harvey, children Don (and Shirley) Harvey of Lead, SD, Diana (and Bob) Ringling of Lead, SD, Lynn (and Matt) Simmons of Rapid City, SD, Karen (and Gene) Eidsness of Stanwood, WA and Dave (and Carol) Harvey of Arlington, WA as well as many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Also surviving him are sister Carol (and Vern) Backens of Spearfish, SD, brother Lyle Harvey of Belle Fourche, SD and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. Dad is joining his parents, Bryan and Carrie, his brother Verne (and wife Betty) Harvey, sister Joan (and husband Bill) Sisson, sister in law Gladys Harvey and his first great grandchild Kyle James Harvey.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held next summer.

Online condolences may be written at www.fidler-isburgfuneralchapels.com

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either Dad's beloved Trinity United Methodist Church in Lead, SD or Pinky Swear Foundation

5555 W. 78th Street, Suite E

Edina, MN 55439

pinkyswear.org

(which helps families of children with cancer) (Dad loved children)