Harvey Mckinely Diggs, Jr.

Harvey McKinley Diggs Jr. was the younger of two children of Dr. Harvey M. Diggs and Alma Butts Diggs. He attended school in Suffolk (Andrew J. Brown and Booker T. Washington) and left at the end of his eighth grade year to attend school in Ohio. He returned to Virginia at the end of his tenth grade year and attended Booker T. Washington in Norfolk and graduated from there in 1960. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA, with a major in sociology and minor in history. On August 7, 1965 Harvey married his high school sweetheart, Joyce Jones. They lived in Richmond, VA until he joined the Air Force in 1968. What he initially thought would be a 4- year tour of duty turned into a 20- year career. In those 20 years his rank went from Airman Basic to the retirement rank of Master Sergeant. Harvey was a member of the Hospital Squadron and was assigned to the Veterinary Unit as a Veterinary Technician. He enjoyed his work and the couple also enjoyed military life and travels. The first of their two children was Lori, born in 1970 at Griffis Air Force Base in Rome, NY. Their son, Harvey, III was born in 1972 at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, VA. The family was also stationed in Taipei, Taiwan; Warner Robins, Georgia; Upper Heyford, England and Dover, Delaware. After retiring in 1988, Harvey moved his family back to Suffolk where he began work for the United States Department of Agriculture as a food inspector and retired from there in December 2003. Harvey accepted Christ at an early age at First Baptist Church, Mahan Street and always maintained his membership there. He served on the Church Bereavement Committee. He was also a life member of the NAACP. He leaves to cherish his memory: his loving and devoted wife, Joyce; his children- Lori Diggs Johnson & Harvey Diggs III (Dominique); his sister, Muriel Diggs Felder; sister –in –law, Onita Jones; 6 grandchildren- Jordan Johnson, Harvey Diggs IV, Alexa Diggs, Devin Diggs, Jada Johnson, Catherine Diggs; and loving nieces, nephews, cousins and many wonderful and close friends that are like family. A celebration of life will be held 11am Friday, December 3, 2021 in the Melvin J. Blowe Chapel. Internment services will be private. Professional services with dignity have been entrusted to Crocker Funeral Home, Inc. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Harvey Mckinely Diggs, Jr., please visit our flower store.