John Paul Harper, currently of Gate City, Va., passed away in hospice care in Kingsport, Tenn., on Friday, July 26, 2019. John was a resident of Buckhannon, W.Va., for almost 60 years before moving to Gate City.
John was preceded in death by his wife, Dolores Harper and his daughter, Susan Harper Hitt.
John is survived by his son, Paul Harper and wife, Brenda, of Gate City, Va. and his son, Bill Harper and wife, Denise, of South Charleston, W.Va. John is also survived by four grandchildren: Scott Harper and wife, Brenda, of Kingsport, Tenn., Allison Hitt of Muncie, Ind., Matt Hitt of South Charleston, W.Va., and Alexandra Harper of Lexington, Ky. John is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews in W.Va., Va., Okla., and Pa.
John was born in Pittsburgh, Pa. in 1924. He graduated from Perry High School and after the war, from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Geology in 1951. He had also completed various courses towards an MBA. John spent 29 months in the United States Army during WWII and was stationed in India during the India/Burma campaign. He was a member of the 173rd Ordinance. John returned to Pittsburgh after being discharged in early 1946. He spent most of his career with Columbia Gas and what is now Dominion Energy, having retired from Dominion in 1987. John was a project manager on pipeline projects throughout the eastern United States.
In the 1960’s and early 1970’s, John was heavily involved in the Boy Scouts and was a long time Scout Master for Troop 127 in Buckhannon. Both of John’s sons were scouts and obtained the rank of Eagle. John and his wife enjoyed traveling the Unites States and throughout the world both before and after his retirement. After his wife Dolores’s death in 1992, John continued to travel and as a 90th birthday event, he took a cruise to Alaska with family members.
John was a long time member of Chapel Hill United Methodist church and for the last three years had been attending Hermon United Methodist Church in Gate City, Va.
Family and friends will gather at Tomblyn-Clutter Funeral and Cremation located at 21 Elnora Circle in Buckhannon from 4 – 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 1, 2019 at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church located at 88 S. Kanawha St. in Buckhannon with Pastor Ellis Conley officiating.. Interment will follow at Heavener Cemetery in Buckhannon with full military honors accorded by the United States Army and Upshur County Honor Guard.
In lieu of flowers, John asked that donations be made to:
Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, 88 S. Kanawha St. Buckhannon WV 26201 or
Hermon United Methodist Church 5395 E. Carters Valley Road Gate City VA 24251
We, at Tomblyn-Clutter Funeral and Cremation, are honored and privileged to serve the family of John Paul Harper. Online condolences may be expressed at www.Tomblyn-ClutterFuneral.com.
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