Harvey N Herstein

On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, our beloved father, father-in-law, and grandfather Harvey Herstein died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 90. He was predeceased by his wife of 64 years, pianist and piano teacher Shirley Herstein, in 2021. There will be a Celebration of Life at a future date.

Harvey Herstein was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a proud graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, which he attended on a Navy ROTC scholarship. Harvey and Shirley met in high school and dated throughout college. They married shortly after graduation. After his four years of service, they settled in New Jersey and had three children: Beth, Marci, and Robyn. A promotion sent the Herstein family to New Orleans, where Harvey and Shirley resided until Shirley's death. Harvey then moved to New Jersey to be closer to his daughters and their families.

Harvey was a lot of things: a devoted family man, an athlete who ran track in college and was recruited to play minor league baseball, a music lover with wide-ranging taste, a dedicated member and former board member of Temple Sinai in New Orleans, and a huge fan of the New Orleans Saints. He and Shirley also opened their arms and hearts to the friends of their children, becoming something of a surrogate to many of them and hosting many others during their visits to Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras. They also "adopted" younger couples they met through work and temple, many of whom have shared affectionate memories of Harvey.

During his lifetime, Harvey supported many causes, including Second Harvest in New Orleans, Bridge and Grace Houses in New Orleans, Temple Sinai, the American Heart Association, PanCan, the New Orleans Children's Hospital (now the Manning Family Children's Pediatric Center), and St. Jude's. If you care to, feel free to donate to any of these organizations or to one of your choosing.