People who knew David saw the necklace and ring he wore every day with the symbol of the Patriarchal cross. It had great meaning for him because it symbolized his commitment as the patriarch of his family. He was a protector and comforter. True to his calling, he spent his entire life taking care of others.
David Furman Harper was born on September 23, 1961 in Baltimore, Maryland, to David W. Harper and Carolyn Harper Sawyer. David was a very spiritual person. During his youth, he was a devoted member of the Zion Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was baptized at an early age.
David was a very smart and inquisitive young man. In high school, he found his true calling in life, when his chemistry teacher, who was a former U. S. Army Intelligence Analyst, inspired him to become one, also. Upon graduation from Southwestern High School, David immediately enlisted in the United States Army, fulfilling his childhood dream.
On April 16, 1979, David was blessed with his first daughter Kel-Landa (Kelly) Robinson. David later welcomed a second daughter, Natasha (Tasha) Harper, on May 12, 1991.
David devoted most of his career to serving the citizens of the United States in the Army, first on active duty, then in the reserves, and finally as a civilian employee. After serving for 12 years, David retired from active duty in 1992. His time in active duty afforded him the opportunity to live on the islands of Okinawa, Japan, and Oahu, Hawaii. It sparked his love of all things tropical. David loved being in uniform so it was not surprising that immediately upon his retirement from active duty, he joined the Army Reserve. During his tenure in the reserves, David served as a Course Manager and Senior Instructor for recruits who were learning to be Intelligence Analysts. Shortly before he retired from the Army Reserve in 2003, David began his civilian career with the Army where he returned to his roots as an Intelligence Analyst.
David never lost his desire to help those less fortunate than himself. As such, after he left active duty, he took a job as a Weatherization Supervisor and Coordinator for the Cumberland Community Action Program. The weatherization program assisted low-income families in lowering their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. Eventually, David moved to the North Carolina State Office of Weatherization and became a State Auditor. In this position, he oversaw the weatherization programs for over 40 counties.
Furman, as David was affectionately called by his family, was a Renaissance Man who excelled in the physical, intellectual, artistic, and social fields. He had eclectic taste in books and music, was an avid Baltimore Ravens fan, and loved to indulge in fine dining. He was also an excellent chef. He never encountered a recipe that he did not think he could make better by injecting his unique twist. Furman loved to cook for family and friends, often sharing his creations with his co-workers. However, his main love was photography. He loved nothing more than acting as the official photographer for weddings and family gatherings. David also loved dogs and was the proud owner of three Shiba Inus. He selected this breed because of their similarities to a wolf, an animal he greatly admired. They are known as a difficult breed to own, however, David was up to the challenge.
On July 15, 2011, David married his soulmate, confidante, and partner in life, Lori Jackson, and gained a son, Kevin Brown, which made his family complete. A highlight of their union was their mutual love of travel, which reignited his love of photography. In their short time together, David and Lori travelled extensively, both domestically and internationally, which brought David much joy.
David leaves to cherish in his memory his loving wife Lori Michelle Jackson; three children: Kelly, Tasha, and Kevin; one grandson, Christopher; his parents, Carolyn Sawyer (David) and David Harper; three sisters: Sherri Harper (Earl), Lois Sawyer, and Davida Harper; mother and father in-laws, Marion and Donald Jackson; brothers-in-law, Duane Jackson (Kristin) and Donald Jackson (Tiffany); and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.
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