Arthur Owen Eve Jr.

Arthur O. Eve Jr. "Champ" April 9, 1957 August 16, 2024 Arthur O. Eve Jr., most fondly known as "Champ", the son of former Deputy Speaker of the New York State Assembly Arthur O. Eve Sr. and educator and leader Lee Constance B. Eve, was born in Buffalo, New York on April 9, 1957. His parents instilled in him at a very young age a strong work ethic and commitment to faith and serving others. Indeed, it was his father who nicknamed his eldest child "Champ" soon after he was born. What a fitting name, as Arthur Jr. spent his life serving as a powerful and tireless champion for family values and community, especially the most vulnerable and least empowered amongst us. The Formative Years, Faith, and Football In his formative years, he attended The Park School and was an active member of St. Philips Episcopal Church, where he served as an acolyte and was active in the St. Philips Episcopal Youth Group. In adulthood, he was active member of Elim Christian Fellowship under the leadership of Bishop T. Anthony Bronner. He graduated from Canisius High School, where his hard work and natural talent as a member of the football team earned him All-Catholic Honors as a senior cornerback. He attended the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where he also excelled in football and played for the UTEP Miners football team, before returning to Buffalo and continuing his education at the University at Buffalo, where he made his mark, not only inside the classroom, graduating with a degree in Sociology, but also as the President of the Black Student Union. Empowering and Uplifting Many Throughout his career, Champ, like his parents, harnessed his ambition, desire, and vision to help transform the lives of many in our community through several key roles. Early in his career, he worked at the East Ferry Juvenile Detention Center, determined to do his part to ensure that, once released, incarcerated juveniles were as prepared as they could be to lead productive lives. Champ also taught classes at the Educational Opportunity Center, which now bears his fathers name, and Job Corps, always inspiring young people and often serving as a father figure to young men. He later served in a critical compliance and strategic role at the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority (BMHA), where he served for several years under the leadership of Executive Director Sharon West. Together, they developed nationally recognized initiatives that moved BMHA from being "standard performing" to receiving the highest rating as a "high performer" from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and implemented one of the most aggressive policies in the nation to comply with Section 3 of the federal Housing and Development Act of 1968, which requires contractors receiving federal taxpayer dollars to develop affordable housing to make best efforts to hire low-income neighborhood and public housing residents on construction projects. Through Champs unwavering commitment and innovative work, contractors hired forty percent of their workforce from Section 3 workers, who were public housing and neighborhood residents, far exceeding national requirements. Every year Champ worked at BMHA approximately one hundred Section 3 workers both men and women were hired, setting the course for hundreds of Buffalo residents to career pathways that led to fulfilling lives for themselves and their families. Most recently, Champ served for many years as the Deputy Commissioner of the Erie County Board of Elections. He also served as Vice Chair of the Erie County Democratic Committee, and in 2023, received the Erie County Democratic Committees Joseph F. Crangle Legacy Award named the Democrat of the Year which recognized Champ as a great leader and for his service to the Democratic Party, and, most especially, to Western New York. Unity Coalition In the early 1980s, he founded and served as President of Unity Coalition, an organization focused on supporting candidates for office at the local, county, state, and federal level who demonstrated concern about issues affecting Buffalos Black community. He was considered by many local and statewide candidates to be one of the best voter registration and participation strategists and tacticians in the state. Inspiring Our Youth As a devoted advocate for youth, two of Champs proudest memories were becoming a two-time championship-winning head coach and mentor for the Calvery Baptist Church Basketball Program and becoming assistant coach of the Hutch Tech Basketball Team, where he became best known as a great motivator, father figure, and example for young men, and who never gave up on anyone. In 2007, Champ joined the Buffalo State University Mens Basketball leadership and has proudly served as an assistant coach under Head Coach Fajri Ansari. Today, seventeen years after he began coaching at Buffalo State, young men across Western New York and the country reflect upon the profound impact Champ has had on their lives. Family In adulthood, he was active member of Elim Christian Fellowship under the leadership of Bishop T. Anthony Bronner. Through all the transformative work Champ did for our community, his finest moments in life were shared with his family. He was married for nearly 10 years to his beloved wife Kim Marie Eve., who viewed him as the love of her life. Together, they shared a beautiful, blended family of nine children: Arthur III (Marcie), Shiana Denise, LaNeesha, Eric James (Natasha), Louis, Ashley, Melzetta, Bobby (Rosalie), and David Paul; and eight grandchildren: Caiden, Rylee, Cailee, Kendall, Ari, Lucian, Maliha, and Lux. He was a proud uncle to Michael, Madison, and Maxwell. Champ is predeceased by his mother Lee Constance B. Eve, and is survived by his father, Arthur O. Eve, Sr.; and his siblings, Leecia Roberta, Eric Vincent, Malcolm Xavier, and Martin King Eve; his beloved aunts Ruth B. Harrison and Rosa Bowles; dozens of cousins; goddaughters Nakeeya, Taylor, Shahirah, and godson Shamell; and dear friends. Our hearts are broken as he was the connective tissue for hundreds of family members and friends. We take some comfort, however, knowing that he lived an extraordinary life of service, loved and was loved deeply, and is resting in peace in heaven with his dearly beloved mother. Visitation and Celebration of Life Visitation will be held on Friday, August 30th from 2 to 8 pm at Lombardo Funeral Home, at 4614 Main Street, Snyder New York 14226. The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 31st at 11 am at Elim Christian Fellowship, located at 70 Chalmers Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214. Note that the Celebration of Life will be livestreamed on Elims website, https://www.youtube.com/live/vVGcTHEKK6s. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Unity Coalition at P.O. Box 103, Buffalo, NY 14215 and/or to the Dr. G. Bowles-Bolles Scholarship Fund at West Virginia State University in Institute, WV 25112. Online condolences can be made on www.lombardofuneralhome.com. Services Visitation Friday August 30, 2024 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM Lombardo Funeral Home (Snyder Chapel) 4614 Main Street Snyder, NY 14226 Funeral Service Saturday August 31, 2024 11:00 AM ELIM Christian Fellowship 70 Chalmers Avenue Buffalo, NY 14214