Betty L. Harper

Betty was the embodiment of pure and unconditional love and compassion. She was kind to those around her and always greeted family and friends with a warm and comforting hug. Betty devoted her life to her family and friends, and was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, as well as a true and loyal friend to so many people. She was a mom to many of her children’s friends, as well as others in the neighborhood, and some affectionately referred to her as a “mom’s mom.” She loved to hear stories about all the different places that her family members had been and seen, and to learn about new and different cultures and ways of being. Betty was that parent who was at every school or sporting event that involved her children (and often grandchildren) and would sit in the front row with a beaming smile that personified her pride as a mom. Betty traveled across the country to support her children’s sporting and academic endeavors and was there for both the celebrations and the times of sorrow. She was someone who would not only tell you that she loved you but would show it through her daily actions of love and support. Betty cared deeply about all of God’s children and spent time volunteering for various charities throughout her life, including her favorite volunteer job as a Baby Cuddler where she would spend countless hours rocking babies who had been born exposed to illicit drugs. She was also quite creative and spent many years creating beautiful ceramic pieces and silk flower arrangements, and even though these works of art were impressive enough to sell she always wanted to give them away to family and friends to show how much she cared about them. Her ceramic Christmas and Hanukkah trees with lights were quite a popular item, and many of her loved ones likely have one to cherish. Betty and her husband George were inseparable—they spent 66 of their 86 years of life married, and even down to their last days together loved to sit next to each other on the couch and hold hands. They had a love that was everlasting and impenetrable, and now they are once again reunited in Heaven and smiling down on all of us as they snuggle on their couch.

Betty is survived by her three children, Gary W. (Herek Clack) Harper, G. Daniella (Eric) Cowle, and Bob L. (Jeanie) Harper; Brother Bob (Judy) Tarrant and sister Hester (Harold) Krause; ten grandchildren, JoyceAnn Cowle, Nathan (Emilia) Cowle, Zeke Cowle, Raya Cowle, Gretchen (James) Sherwood, Grace (Chris) Philipy, Tia (Franco) Burzio, Keegan Harper, Aidan Harper, Amara Harper; three great-grandchildren, Harper Sherwood, Ian Philipy, and Adam Philipy; and a host of other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George F. Harper; parents, William and Dora Tarrant; two brothers, Bill Tarrant and Alfred Tarrant, and two sisters, Delores (Frank) Ortmann and Viola Buntz.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Children's Place International .

Betty's service will be livestreamed at the scheduled service time. Click here to view the service.

In keeping with Betty's love of flowers and dressing nicely for special occasions, attire will be dressy casual or garden party attire.