Funeral services were held on Friday, March 23, 1962, at 2:00 p.m. in the Methodist church, Coldwater, Kans., for Mary Sophia Harper.Rev. Dean W. Dryden and Rev. Robert Bates officiated at the services.
Organist, Mrs. Clifford Blount, accompanied a quartet composed of Mrs. Wayne Kirby, Mrs. Robert Barnett, Mrs. Glenn Jordan and Mrs. Harry Lohrding, who sang "Old Rugged Cross" and "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere."
Pallbearers were Harry Lohrding, Levi Steadman, Douglas Dale, Herbert Rafler, Ray Burditt and Jim Haas.
Interment was in Crown Hill Cemetery, Coldwater, Kansas.
Obituary Mary Sophia (Jenkins) Harper was born in Tamey county, Iowa, on March 10, 1876, to Zelpha and David Jenkins, and died in the Comanche County Hospital on March 21, 1962.
When a young woman she went to Sullivan county, Missouri, with her parents. She was united in marriage with Emery F. Harper at Galt, Missouri, on February 27, 1897.
In 1903 the family moved to Beaver county, Oklahoma, where they proved up a claim. They came to Coldwater, Kans., in 1913. Mrs. Harper has been a resident of Comanche county ever since. She became a member of the Methodist church in Coldwater in 1915. She had been an invalid since 1936. She enjoyed the visits and literature brought by the ministers.
Mrs. Harper was a charter member of the Sunny Side H. D. U. and enjoyed attending whenever it was possible. She spent many hours doing needlework and planning gifts for her family and friends.
Mrs. Harper is survived by her son, Merrel Harper of Coldwater; her daughter, Opal Marquand, of Medicine Lodge, two grandsons, Harold and Howard Harper, of Coldwater; three granddaughters, Melba (Marquand) Jones of Wichita, Julia (Harper) Giesdorf, of Wichita, and Carol (Harper) Cross of Spring Valley, Calif. Also three brothers, Elmer, of Pratt, Kans., George of LaVergne, Tenn., and LeRoy Jenkins of Redwood City, Calif.
Her husband, Emery, passed away January 21, 1955, and her eldest son, Harold, died January 6, 1945.
Today. (Written for Mrs. Mary Harper by her niece, Mrs. Leona Boorn.)
Today the crisis is over,
And the clouds are far away.
A thorny path beset my feet,
Along Life's cloudy street.
Today is yesterday's tomorrow,
And I smile at needles fear.
Life had more sunshine than sorrow,
And favored me for many a year.
Today, I journey to a Mansion Above,
With a Soul full of peace and love.
Today, I'll hear the Savior say,
In a soft whisper, "This is the Way."
--Mrs. Harry Boorn.
Harold Eugene Harper, son of Mary Harper.
Harpers Celebrate Golden Wedding Anniversary, The Western Star, March 7, 1947.
Motor Mechanics Mate 2nd Class John JENKINS, USN, MIA, October 29, 1943, brother of Mary Sophia (Jenkins) Harper.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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