Harold Casper Harper

Harold C. Harper, 77, of 52 West Hill Base Road, Keene, died Monday after a period of failing health. He was born in Franklin, NH August 15, 1922 son of William J. And Luretta (Greer) Harper. He graduated from the Kurn Hattin Home, Westminster, VT in 1939 and from Quaddy Tech. , East Port, ME in 1941. Drafted in 1942, he served with the US Army Air Corps 10th Air Depot 2002nd Ordnance Company in England, France and Germany. Returning to Keene in 1946, Mr. Harper worked as a machinist at Burr and Nichols Machine Shop, American Optical, and MPB; retiring from Markem Corp in 1987. He played clarinet and saxophone with Allan Kendall's Orchestra and the American Legion Band. He sang tenor in the St. James Episcopal Church choir. He was a 50 year member of the NH State Grange, a 45 year member of the National Grange and a member of Charlestown Grange #204, a member of Cold River Valley Pomona Grange #24, a member of the Cheshire County Past Masters Association, a past Master of Cheshire Grange #131 and past Subordinate Deputy of the NH State Grange. Mr. Harper competed in Grange talent contests and twice competed at the national level. He loved gardening, camping, playing his harmonica and banjo-ukelele at family and Grange events and driving his Model T. Survivors include; his wife of 51 years, Dorothy E. (Royle) Harper; two sons, William J. Harper and Robert K. Harper; one niece, one nephew and two grandchildren. A gathering of friends and Grange members will be held on Friday, March 17th from 7:00 until 9:00 PM in the Common Room at St. James Episcopal Church in Keene. Committal will be at Monadnock View Cemetery on Saturday, March 18th at 11:45 AM followed by a Memorial Service at St. James Episcopal Church at 1:00 PM. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers contributions be made in Mr. Harper's memory to Association for the Blind, 25 Walker Street, Concord, NH 03301.