NASA recognized polymer expert for work on Space Shuttle external fuel tank foam

When scientist James A. Harvey passed away on June 5 in Corvallis, friends and family remembered his work and his good humor.

Harvey was an outstanding expert in the field of chemical and materials engineering. His resume is more than 20 pages long and cites years of experience as a researcher, consultant, professor and director of numerous projects.

“He was one of the brilliant people you don’t really know is in the Corvallis community — world-renowned people quietly going about, doing what they do,” said Mike Morrow, friend and former colleague.

Morrow, a research and development engineer at Hewlett-Packard, worked with Harvey at Edwards Air Force Base in the early 1990s on aerospace applications.

One of Harvey’s highlights in his career was his work on the foam insulation for the space shuttle’s external tank, for which Harvey received a NASA Recognition Award.

Over the course of his career, Harvey worked with polymers, plastics, smart materials and composites and wrote numerous chapters, encyclopedias and reference books on the subjects. He also taught at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, the University of Dayton Research Institute, Winona State University, Edwards Air Force Base, the Oregon Graduate Institute, Oregon State University and the University of Portland, to name just a few.

In addition, he was named a fellow of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, an award presented for distinguished contributions in the fields of materials and processes.

In 1994, Harvey joined Morrow at HP in Corvallis, where he worked as an internal consultant.

“He had a knack for presenting complex chemistry and materials science to us lowly engineers who didn’t pay attention during college classes,” Morrow said, and added that Harvey’s texts on polymer science and adhesives are the best available.

To balance out the serious side of his life, Harvey was quite the character in his off time, said friend and retired HP engineer Susan Williams.

And Williams can’t help but chuckle at her memories of Harvey’s antics.

Once while auditioning for the part of a southern gentleman/politician (Harvey had a West Virginia accent) in the Oregon State University play “Room Service,” the director asked each auditionee to do something to show their spontaneity and dramatic abilities, said Williams.

“Without thinking for a second, Jim turned his back to the audience and dropped his pants — only for everyone to gasp and then see his bright red boxer shorts. He got the part.”

He also loved to cook and he loved people, Williams said.

Once while out for dinner at Iovino’s for her birthday, Harvey got up and klinked his glass, after which he proceeded to relay stories about Williams.

“He was a real showman, the whole restaurant was captured,” she said.

Many more stories of office pranks and good-humored tricks abound, such as the time when Harvey waved his false teeth at a busload of boys, or the time he had flowers delivered to his colleague who was attending a straight-laced, suit-and-tie, machine industry convention.

One of his two sons, Steve Harvey, is working in Chicago, Ill., as a comedian. While Steve was a student at OSU, his father sometimes took over for him as station manager of the campus radio station while Steve was away.

“He loved being on the microphone,” Steve said.

Steve said his father was very straightforward with people, and wore his heart on his sleeve.

“He went way out of his way to tell me loved me and was proud of me, I’ll miss it,” he said.

According to Steve, Harvey’s health slowly failed. He had suffered seven or eight strokes over the years, including a heart attack 10 years ago.

Memorial services were held June 9. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that canned food, clothes or educational gifts be made to the Children’s Farm Home, where Harvey often took donations himself.