Nancy Harper

Seaside

Dec. 7, 1928 — June 28, 2015

Nancy was born in Crosby Village, Minn., to the Honorable Clarence Albert Humble and B. Exene Schultz Humble. She had two siblings, Sarah Ann Humble and Thomas Albert Humble, both deceased.

Nancy attended school in Klamath Falls, Ore., graduating from Klamath Union High School in 1946. She attended the University of Oregon, and was a member of the Delta Zeta Sorority.

While in college, Nancy met and married Robert (Bob) W. Harper in Klamath Falls on Sept. 17, 1950. Their first child, Linda Catherine, was born in Portland, Ore. The second child, Roberta Ann, was born in Spokane, Wash., while they lived in Lamont, Wash. The family moved to Helix, Ore., and they had three more children, Thomas, Ella, and Robert Paul. Nancy and Bob lived in Helix for 15 years.

In 1971, Nancy completed her BA in education at Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, Ore., and began her teaching career at Hermiston Junior High, Hermiston, Ore., from 1971-1972. In the summer of 1972, the family moved to Gervais, Ore., where they farmed the Harper Haven Farm, after his father and mother, Robert and Vera Harper, retired.

Nancy immediately took a teaching a position at Gervais Union High School and taught there from 1972 to 1992. During this time, she was the honors English administrator, the faculty senior supervisor, cheer squad supervisor, yearbook advisor and the staff supervisor for the High Q Team. Nancy had a master’s degree in education from Lewis and Clark College Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Nancy received the Certificate of Live Membership in the Oregon Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development in 1994 from the OASCD.

She was dedicated to her students, loved her life as an educator and councilor, and was proud to see the positive impact she made in so many young lives. It gave her great pleasure throughout the years to bump into past students who made a point in greeting her and saying, “Thank you for being such a great influence on my life.”

“You were my favorite teacher!” made her smile. She was always delighted to see how well her students had done over the years.

Bob and Nancy continued to run the Harper Haven Farm after she retired from teaching at Gervais Union High School. After selling the farm in 1997, they moved to Woodburn Senior Estates Golf & Country Club. Bob passed away in February 2000.

Nancy was active in Eastern Star Masonic activities, and was appointed Eastern Star past grand warder. She was active in many other organizations as well: Daughters of the Nile; the American Association of University Women; the Women’s Golf Club at Shadow Mountain Country Club in Palm Desert, Calif.; the Women’s Golf Club and bridge clubs at Woodburn Senior Estates Golf & County Club; the West Woodburn Women’s Golf Club; and she was a stockholder and member of the board at West Woodburn Golf Course.

Nancy enjoyed golfing Oregon, Washington state, California and Hawaii with several of her friends. She enjoyed Alaskan cruises, a Panama Canal cruise, she toured Australia and New Zealand, and spent time with her daughter, Ella, and family in the Hawaiian Islands. She enjoyed vacations on the Oregon and Washington coast with her dear friend, Kathy Baldwin.

Nancy was an accomplished pianist and loved to sing and dance, which few people knew. She was a very accomplished bridge player, loved bowling, golf, and watching football. She volunteered during the AJGA golf tournaments held each year at Langdon Farms, and was a great ball spotter and scorekeeper.

She loved the challenge of any type of sport or game and loved meeting people. She was always ready for friendly competition, be it cards or golf. Nancy surprised her children by taking a white water river rafting trip in Central Oregon, which she thought was great fun — but vowed never to do again.

She enjoyed six months of sunshine each winter with her sister, Sarah (Sally) Humble, at their home at Shadow Mountain in Palm Desert, Calif. Nancy moved to Country Meadows Retirement Community in Woodburn. Her beloved sister passed away in February.

On May 25, Nancy moved to Seaside, Ore., to the Suzanne Elise Assisted Living Community to be closer to her daughters, Catherine and Roberta, giving all three special quality time together prior to her passing on June 28, 2015.

Nancy was much loved by her family and all who knew her. Nancy was generous with her time, intelligent with many talents, a witty conversationalist, and an accomplished educator, living her life with a great sense of humor and a contagious laugh.

She is survived by her five children, Linda Catherine Harper and Roberta Ann Harper of Hammond, Ore., Dr. Thomas Warren Harper of Tacoma, Wash., Ella Exene Harper Conrad of Napa, Calif., and Robert (Bob) Paul Harper of Napoleon, N.D.; seven grandchildren, David A. Norton of Vancouver, Wash., Danielle Norton Crossett of Oaksdale, Wash., Kristen M. Norton of Pullman, Wash., Emily E. Harper of Tacoma, Wash., Sarah Catherine Harper of Tacoma, Wash., Olivia G. Conrad of San Diego, Calif., and Brandon Harper of Eugene, Ore.; and two great-grandchildren, Kendall Crossett and Natalie Crossett of Oaksdale, Wash.

Nancy is to be interred next to her husband at Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem, Ore. There will be no services, per Nancy’s request.

Donations in memory of Nancy Harper may be sent to: Gervais School District, Music and Arts Curriculum, P.O. Box 100, Gervais OR 97026.