Harvey W. Ko

Harvey Wayne Ko, 81, of Ellicott City, Maryland, entered eternal rest on December 31, 2025. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, after years of living with the challenges of Frontotemporal Dementia. He was a loving and beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and mentor whose patience and benevolence lives on through the many lives he touched.

Harvey was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 21, 1944, to Alice Young Ko and Thomas Ko. He was the youngest of six siblings and grew up in West Philadelphia above the businesses that his parents operated, first a Chinese laundry, then a Chinese take-out restaurant. After graduating from Bartram High School in 1962, he attended Drexel University, where he earned a B.S. in electrical engineering in 1967 and a Ph.D. in electro-physics in 1972.

Harvey moved to Maryland in 1973 and worked for forty years at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, in the fields of nonacoustic anti-submarine warfare, ocean electromagnetics, radar propagation, biomedical engineering, bio-impedance, low-frequency electromagnetic holography, and chemical and biological detection, for national security applications. He held 18 patents and served as a Chief Scientist, was a member of APL's Principal Professional Staff, and a Master Inventor. Harvey loved his meaningful career, which took him to the United Kingdom, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Japan.

A chance encounter on an airplane led him to meet the love of his life, Giselle, whom he married in 1984. Harvey became a natural and beloved part of the Roberge family. He and Giselle had three daughters, Danielle, Elizabeth, and Emily. Harvey was a devoted and patient father and husband, and used his nights and weekends to build an idyllic life for his family. He did yard work and home improvement projects, drove his daughters to myriad art and music lessons, and videotaped all of their performances. He happily drove the family to summer vacations in New England every year, stopping along the way at historic sites.

His engineering mind was also artistic, and he crafted beautiful furniture in his home woodworking shop, along with dollhouses and doll furniture, a swing set, and anything his daughters wanted. He loved a challenge and could fix anything in his own resourceful way.

Harvey loved to eat good home-cooked food, which was happily supplied to him first by his mother, and then by his wife, who both loved to cook for such a grateful recipient. In the summertime, Harvey loved to play tennis, and always followed it with a trip to get ice cream or snowballs. He also adored animals and pampered many dogs and cats throughout his lifetime.

A natural teacher and leader, he lectured professionally at the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering and the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Harvey often served as a mentor to young professionals and loved to coach basketball. He always encouraged the players to pass the ball down the court, instead of dribbling; in basketball, as in life, it didn't matter to him who got the credit, as long as the job was done. Harvey cared for his mother, uncle, and sister as they aged. He led his family through every crisis with his calm leadership.

Perhaps Harvey's most unique trait was his generosity. He always looked for opportunities to help others. While in graduate school, a friend confided that he was going to drop out of college because he couldn't afford his tuition. Somehow, Harvey found the money to pay his friend's tuition. When the friend later offered to repay him, he refused and asked that the money instead be given to another young person who needed help. He despised praise and refused to be called "Dr. Ko" outside of a professional setting. In the 1970s and 1980s, he loved to bring his family and friends sailing on his boat in the Chesapeake Bay. He often brought his camera to gatherings and would generously share with loved ones the many pictures and videos he took.

Harvey was a parishioner at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church for thirty-five years. His faith was steady and quiet as he taught and led by example.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Alice Young Ko and Thomas Ko; siblings Irving Ko, Kenneth Ko, Doris Magison, and Helen Ko; uncle, Albert Sam; father-in-law Leonard Roberge, and sister-in-law Michelle Janson. He is survived by his wife, Giselle Roberge Ko; daughters Danielle Ko (Brian Gaspar), Elizabeth (John) Elfrey, and Emily Ko (Fred Lestina); grandchildren Lena, Jane, Cecilia, Claire, Christian, Lincoln, Lily, Matthew, and Agnes; brother Vernon; mother-in-law Lynn Roberge; and many nieces, nephews, in-laws, and cousins.

In Harvey's memory and following his example, we invite you to reach out to someone you know who might be in need of help.