Marcia E. Harper
May 29, 1933 — April 7, 2021
Selfless, caring, nurturer, strong faith, curious, & a reader. These are just a few of the words that describe my mother, Marcia Elaine Barnard Harper, daughter of Ronald and Mary Barnard, sister of Ron Barnard, wife of Lowell Harper, mother of 6; Beth, Steve, Nancy, Marti, Mary Jane and Karen, grandmother of 12 & great grandmother of 13. She adored them all and devoted herself to being a part of each of their lives.
Marcia (Mom) was born in Ames, IA May 29, 1933, where she was raised through her youth. She was always surrounded by family from the very beginning when her Grandma Wilson moved into their house with them that Marcia's (Mom's) dad had built prior to her parent's marriage. Her Grandma Wilson helped to raise Mom by doing all the cooking and baking including having lunch ready for Mom every day when she would come home from school for her lunch break. Mom would walk to and from school each day including the extra round for lunch. This was a vivid memory for Mom as she has to cross the wide set of railroad tracks each time. And Mom always talked about her frequent leg aches and how Grandma Wilson would rub them with alcohol to make her feel better.
Our Mom was a good cook and made everything from scratch. She came by this naturally with her grandmother Wilson, her Mom and her Grandma Barnard who always had chickens. These chickens weren't for eating or eggs for breakfast, but were kept strictly for the 12 eggs she needed the whites for her homemade Angel Food cakes and the yolks for her noodles.
Her dad owned his own business, White Line Transfer. He and her mother would unload merchandise from rail cars and deliver throughout Ames. Mom had a role in the business as well. She would walk business to business with her mom to collect the delivery fees each Friday.
Her dad also received the Christmas trees every year from the rail cars. On Thanksgiving Day after dinner was completed, they would all sort the trees according to size, kind and orders. They would always ensure the widowed neighbor had a tree and Mom's home tree would be whatever was left over.
Mom loved music! She played the clarinet in the band throughout Jr. and Sr. High school. One of the highlights of her years playing her clarinet in band was when they played for the Campaign train of Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower as it passed through Ames.
Mom was always a part of the Methodist Church and loved attending MYF, Methodist Youth Fellowship each week. This is where she and dad met. They tell the story of their meeting was because the other kids all paired up and they were the only ones left. Of course, Dad always said he had to chase Mom to get her to go on a date with him.
Once mom graduated from Ames High in 1951, she went on to Cedar Falls Teacher's College. Now known as UNI. Mom married Lowell March 14, 1953. They started their family and moved 10 times through the mid-west during their first 15 years of marriage when it brought them to Harlan. Their final stop was in Jacksonville, where they resided for 43 years.
Mom tended to the children while they were young. Then began working outside the home once most of the kids were grown. She was a bookkeeper for SW Iowa Farm Business preparing taxes and then finished her career as the receptionist and bookkeeper of 15 years at Peace Haven Retirement Home in Walnut.
Mom also had many other roles and activities that kept her busy including a long membership of UMW, United Methodist Women. She held many offices with UMW & treasurer for the District UMW. She was a member of the Shelby Co. Porkettes and a 4-H leader during several of her daughters' years in the organization and enjoyed the Jacksonville Neighborhood Club. She loved to be out in the community and I have had many people share how much they enjoyed Mom, that she was so easy to visit with. However, her favorite activity was following all of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren's activities both near and far.
Mom and Dad made their final move into Harlan and enjoyed the life of less stress and upkeep of the family home. Mom would pass her time doing Word Search Puzzles. I'm sure there isn't a Word Search book out there that she has not completed as she did them right up to her final days.
Marcia moved from her apartment to Hansen House where she could enjoy her freedom in a safe environment as her dementia progressed. She loved the crafts, puzzles and when Pastor Mike and others would come to sing with them. She then moved to Elm Crest Nursing home where she was reunited with the love of her life, Lowell, for the final few weeks before he passed. She then enjoyed the memory care division of Elm Crest until she passed on April 7, 2021. It was time for her to Shuffle Off to Buffalo as she had gotten the message that there was a ginormous party that was planned! Bless your heart.
Marcia (Mom) was born in Ames, IA May 29, 1933, where she was raised through her youth. She was always surrounded by family from the very beginning when her Grandma Wilson moved into their house with them that Marcia's (Mom's) dad had built prior to her parent's marriage. Her Grandma Wilson helped to raise Mom by doing all the cooking and baking including having lunch ready for Mom every day when she would come home from school for her lunch break. Mom would walk to and from school each day including the extra round for lunch. This was a vivid memory for Mom as she has to cross the wide set of railroad tracks each time. And Mom always talked about her frequent leg aches and how Grandma Wilson would rub them with alcohol to make her feel better.
Our Mom was a good cook and made everything from scratch. She came by this naturally with her grandmother Wilson, her Mom and her Grandma Barnard who always had chickens. These chickens weren't for eating or eggs for breakfast, but were kept strictly for the 12 eggs she needed the whites for her homemade Angel Food cakes and the yolks for her noodles.
Her dad owned his own business, White Line Transfer. He and her mother would unload merchandise from rail cars and deliver throughout Ames. Mom had a role in the business as well. She would walk business to business with her mom to collect the delivery fees each Friday.
Her dad also received the Christmas trees every year from the rail cars. On Thanksgiving Day after dinner was completed, they would all sort the trees according to size, kind and orders. They would always ensure the widowed neighbor had a tree and Mom's home tree would be whatever was left over.
Mom loved music! She played the clarinet in the band throughout Jr. and Sr. High school. One of the highlights of her years playing her clarinet in band was when they played for the Campaign train of Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower as it passed through Ames.
Mom was always a part of the Methodist Church and loved attending MYF, Methodist Youth Fellowship each week. This is where she and dad met. They tell the story of their meeting was because the other kids all paired up and they were the only ones left. Of course, Dad always said he had to chase Mom to get her to go on a date with him.
Once mom graduated from Ames High in 1951, she went on to Cedar Falls Teacher's College. Now known as UNI. Mom married Lowell March 14, 1953. They started their family and moved 10 times through the mid-west during their first 15 years of marriage when it brought them to Harlan. Their final stop was in Jacksonville, where they resided for 43 years.
Mom tended to the children while they were young. Then began working outside the home once most of the kids were grown. She was a bookkeeper for SW Iowa Farm Business preparing taxes and then finished her career as the receptionist and bookkeeper of 15 years at Peace Haven Retirement Home in Walnut.
Mom also had many other roles and activities that kept her busy including a long membership of UMW, United Methodist Women. She held many offices with UMW & treasurer for the District UMW. She was a member of the Shelby Co. Porkettes and a 4-H leader during several of her daughters' years in the organization and enjoyed the Jacksonville Neighborhood Club. She loved to be out in the community and I have had many people share how much they enjoyed Mom, that she was so easy to visit with. However, her favorite activity was following all of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren's activities both near and far.
Mom and Dad made their final move into Harlan and enjoyed the life of less stress and upkeep of the family home. Mom would pass her time doing Word Search Puzzles. I'm sure there isn't a Word Search book out there that she has not completed as she did them right up to her final days.
Marcia moved from her apartment to Hansen House where she could enjoy her freedom in a safe environment as her dementia progressed. She loved the crafts, puzzles and when Pastor Mike and others would come to sing with them. She then moved to Elm Crest Nursing home where she was reunited with the love of her life, Lowell, for the final few weeks before he passed. She then enjoyed the memory care division of Elm Crest until she passed on April 7, 2021. It was time for her to Shuffle Off to Buffalo as she had gotten the message that there was a ginormous party that was planned! Bless your heart.
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