Harland Parsons Harper, Jr. 1924 - 2003

HARPER, PARSONS, NASSEN, BASART, WATHEN, SLABAUGH, LIKELY, LACKORE, HEDRICK

Posted By: Linda H Meyers (email)
Date: 5/6/2009 at 12:58:42

Harland Parsons Harper, Jr. was born February 16, 1924 in Ames, Iowa to Harland H. and Joan (Parsons) Harper. He graduated from Milford Township High School in 1941. He entered the US Navy on June 1, 1944 serving as a 1st Class Seaman during World War II. He was discharged on June 1, 1946. He married Myrtle Nassen on September 1, 1946. He graduated from Iowa State College with a degree in Animal Husbandry in 1949. He farmed in Wright and Jasper Counties until moving to Hamilton County, where he farmed for 33 years until moving to Story City, Iowa in 1994.

Harland was a member of St. John's United Methodist Church in Radcliffe, Iowa where he served as Sunday School Superintendent, chairman of the Administrative Board, Lay Speaker, Lay Leader, and sang in the church choir. He attended Friday Moring Men's Bible Study in Story City. He was a member of Story City Kiwanis, and was a founding member of the Story County Habitat of Humanity. Harland served 21 years on the Radcliffe Coop Board as secretary and for 16 years on the Hamilton County Farm Bureau. He was Story County President and State Vice-President for 4-H. Harland was also National Award Winner for the Iowa State College Livestock Judging Team. Harlan was also a member of Alpha Zeta, a honorary agriculture fraternity. He was a lifetime member of the Iowa State Duroc Association and had exhibited Duroc hogs at several state fairs and the Story County Fair.

Harland passed away November 30, 2003 at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames at 79 years of age.

Harland is survived by his wife, Myrtle of Story City; three daughters, Sharon Basart of Nevada, Iowa, Paulette Wathen of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Ann Slabaugh and husband David of Omaha, Nebraska; seven grandchildren, Paula Gordon, Robin and Kali Wathen, James, Joseph, Jacob, and Jonathan Slabaugh; a great grandson Trent Ray; three sisters, Dorothy Likely of Steelvile, Missouri, Mary Lackore of Spooner, Wisconsin and Karel Hedrick of Davis, California; and four brothers, Dixon of Germantown, Wisconsin, Roger of Port Orange, Florida, Joseph of Colo, Iowa and Lowell of Harlan, Iowa.

Harland was preceded in death by his parents and son-in-law Ed Wathen.

--from the funeral program St. John's United Methodist Church, Radcliffe, Iowa Dec. 5, 2003