Somewhere in Langley, dogs and cats have let out a small whimper.
A lover of animals and the written word has left this world.
Mike Harvey passed away on May 9 at the age of 89.
A prolific letter writer to the Langley newspapers, Harvey wasn’t afraid to share his opinion on a variety of topics.
He was even a Langley Times columnist in the early 1980s.
Harvey was born in England in 1926. He endured boarding school from the age of six until lying about his age to join the Canadian Army at the age of 16.
He served in Belguim, Germany and Holland during the Second World War, and became a paratrooper.
His civilian life was also an adventure, from working in the newspaper profession to the hypnosis field.
He also coached soccer in Langley with a lot of success. He is also a talented author of several books, most notably Laddie, the tearjerker tale of an adopted dog who changed his life.
He was a volunteer at Meals on Wheels, keen member of the Langley Seniors Centre and Langley Legion and a volunteer at the Langley Animal Protection Society.
The owner of dozens of dogs and cats, sometimes 10 at a time, his affection for furry four-legged ones found its way into his writing and his heart.
He donated all the proceeds from the sales of his books to LAPS, donating upwards of $10,000. He also did volunteer dog walking until he couldn’t do so physically.
“Mike will be remembered fondly. He will go down as the first recipient of the Patti Dale Award of Excellence,” said animal shelter manager Sean Baker.
Harvey is survived by his wife Shirley, two daughters, a son and many grandchildren.
No funeral service is planned.