RS Harper

RS Harper fought the good fight all his life. On December 17, 2012, at the age of 87, he yielded and peacefully slipped from this earth surrounded by his family. He was preceded in death by his father, Roe Salia Harper; by his mother, Alma, who died during his birth in 1925; his stepmother, Annie; his brothers, Louis and James; and by his sisters, Ruth and Robbie. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Emma; his daughter, Deborah, and his grandson, Chase; his son and daughter-in-law, Darrell and Pam, and his granddaughter, Elizabeth.

RS was a World War II veteran who was simultaneously proud and humble about serving his country. He enlisted in the Navy at age 17 and spent his service years in the Pacific theatre. In 1944, he fought in the invasion of Peleliu in a Navy Beachmaster unit and, in 1945, he served aboard the USS Sierra in Shanghai, China. After the war, he returned home to Texas and, in 1947, married Emma Leatherman, his childhood sweetheart. He worked the next 45 years in the wholesale paper business at Austin Paper Company and Monarch Paper before retiring in 1991.

RS Harper was a decent and honest man who never met a stranger and would talk to anyone about anything. He was an avid reader and a student of history; he loved telling stories to family and friends; and he loved working in his yard. After retiring, his biggest joy was traveling the country with his wife and grandkids. Every summer, they would pack-up the RV and visit national parks, historic landmarks and military museums, eventually covering the whole lower 48. For many years, he was blessed with good health, time to travel, and a loving family to share the road. RS was a tough old bird who cheated death in 2006 and lived to mow his grass again in the spring of 2007. Everyone hoped he would do it again but, this time, it wasn't meant to be.

He and his family are grateful to Dr. Al Lindsey for his long-time care, counsel, and friendship, and to the caring and compassionate staff at St. David’s hospital in Austin.

Services will be held at 3:30 PM on Saturday, December 22nd at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Chapel in Pflugerville, Texas, with visitation on Friday evening from 7:00 until 8:00 PM. Interment with military honors will be at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery on Saturday following services.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Meals on Wheels or Capital Area Food Bank. You may visit www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com to share condolences.

Upon death, all return to the place they were before birth; peace and love prevail.