Gary William Harper

Gary William Harper, age 74, a resident of rural Fort Scott, Kan., passed away early Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019, at his home. He was born Sept. 16, 1945, in Fort Scott, the son of Richard LeRoy Harper and Mary Ellen Hite Harper. Gary had worked as a mechanic and truck driver for trucking companies in both Fort Scott and Kansas City. Following the death of his father, Gary moved from Kansas City and helped maintain the family farm. In earlier years, Gary enjoyed hunting and fishing. He also liked to repair lawn mowers. Later he enjoyed working on and building computers. While in Kansas City, Gary and his wife raised exotic birds. He was a member of the Devon Masonic Lodge.

Survivors include his wife, Marguerite, of the home; his children, Charles “Chuck” Harper (Connie), of Fort Scott, Donna Jean Headley (Darran), of Valley Center, Kan., Betty Weber (David), of Fort Scott, Kan., Mandy Ruble (Matt), of Lebanon, Mo., Cynthia Harmon, of Bigelow, Ark., David Owen, of Little Rock, Ark., Annette Owen, of North Little Rock, Ark., James Owen, of Indonesia, Sylvia Closterman (Robert), of Kearney, Mo., Jeffrey Stuckey, of Seattle, Wash., and Les Stuckey, of Kansas City, Mo., and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are his mother, Mary Ellen Harper, and two sisters, Linda Harryman and Katherine Johnson, all of Fort Scott. He was preceded in death by his father, Richard Harper and a brother, Melvin Harper.

Pastor Rick Hite will conduct a graveside service at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23, at the Centerville Cemetery. Masonic rites will be conducted at the cemetery. Family and friends may meet at the Cheney Witt Chapel on Monday prior to leaving for the cemetery at 1:15 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Gary Harper Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.