Jeffrey Brent Harper Obituary

Jeffrey Brent Harper attended Mount Gilead High School in Mount Gilead, OH. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Jeffrey Brent Harper.

Graduation Year	Class of 1977
Date of Passing	Jul 06, 2007
About	From the Harper Family Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey B. Harper, United States Army, 48, of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas passed away on July 6, 2007 at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas following a courageous battle with cancer. He was born May 12, 1959 in Mount Gilead, Ohio, the son of Ronald A. and Mary Ann (Long) Harper. He graduated from Mount Gilead High School, Mount Gilead, Ohio in 1977. Jeff enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1984 and earned his commission as the Distinguished Honor Graduate of his Officer Candidate School class in 1991. Jeff then served as an Air Defense Artillery officer until his death. During his military career Jeff completed the U.S. Army Paratrooper Training in 1991, earned the Legion of Merit award, four Meritorious Service Medals, five Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, the Army Superior Unit Award, two Army Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korea Defense Service Medal, two Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, the Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. On November 3, 1984 he was united in marriage to Juli Ann Fisher in Mount Gilead, Ohio. Throughout his military career Jeff, Juli and their family resided at multiple locations including Fort Stewart, Georgia, Fort Lewis, Washington, Fort Polk, Louisiana, Fort Knox, Kentucky, Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Bliss, Texas, Puckapunyal, Australia and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Jeff also served two unaccompanied tours in Korea. Jeff graduated from Otterbein College with a Bachelor of Arts in History in 1982 and from Saint Mary College in Leavenworth, Kansas with a Master of Arts in Education in 2003. Jeff also graduated from the Air Defense Officer Basic Course in 1991, the Armor Officer Advanced Course in 1995, and the Command and General Staff College in 2004. Jeff was an avid lover of sports as a player, a fan, and aspired to be a coach after military retirement. In 2004 Jeff was inducted into the Mount Gilead High School Athletic Hall of Fame for the following achievements: Football: 3 letters. 1st Team All MOC (1977). Baseball: 3 letters. As a pitcher – 1st Team All MOC (1976, 1977). 1st Team All Sectional and 1st Team All District (1977). Track: 1 letter. Pitched for Division I University of Nevada-Las Vegas 1978 (6-1). Pitched for Otterbein College 1980-82. 1st Team All OAC Conference Pitcher (1981, 1982). 1st Team Division III NCAA. Baseball All-American – 1982. Jeff’s hobbies included reading history and coaching baseball. His other interests included watching his children play sports and walking his dog Cracker. LTC Jeff Harper is survived by his wife Juli, his two daughters Natalie and Emily, his son Tyler, and his beloved dog Cracker. He is further survived by his father Ronald (Linda) Harper of Mount Gilead; mother Mary Ann Harper of Mount Gilead; brother Ronald (Sharon) Harper of Lake Mary, Florida; sisters Randi (Scott) Nickell of Mount Gilead, Ohio, Angela (William) Trainer of Madison, Alabama, and Tamara (Mark) Webb of Huber Heights, Ohio, in addition to numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and his many friends. Jeff was preceded in death by his grandparents Orva and Minnie Harper and Howard and Thelma Long. Funeral Services for Jeff will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 13, at the Edison United Methodist Church, 335 South Boundary Street, Edison, Ohio. Evangelist Ron Davis of Gospel Hill Ministries will officiate. Burial with military honors will follow at Rivercliff Cemetery. Relatives and friends are welcome at the Snyder Funeral Home, Craven Chapel, 67 North Main Street, Mount Gilead, Ohio on Thursday, July 12 for showings from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A memorial service will be held at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where Juli and the children reside, with exact date and location to be determined for the week following burial. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society at https://www.cancer.org/docroot/DON/DON_1_Donate_Online_Now.asp?from=hpglobal. Special thanks to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, all the family members who were by his side caring for him and to the family and friends who offered their constant love and support. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.snyderfuneralhomes.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tools: Email this Obituary Print this Obituary Local Florists: Keith's Flower Shop: (419) 946-4866 Living Word Christian Book Store: (419) 946-5000 Marengo Flower Shop: 419-253-1511 Mary K's Flower Shop: (419) 947-3488 Twin Oaks Florist: (419) 946-7306 All Occasion Flowers: (419)864-8140 Directions From Your Location To: Craven-Snyder Funeral Home Edison United Methodist Church Rivercliff Cemetery