Vera Lillace Wilson Harper was born Sept. 11, 1914, in Wayne County, Tennessee the daughter of the late Samuel Theodore and Sally Beulah Roberson Wilson. She married J. B. Harper on July 10, 1932, and he preceded her in death on Jan. 4, 1996. Mrs. Harper was a homemaker, a member of the Scotts Chapel Freewill Baptist Church in Cypress Inn, Tennessee, and was an active member at Collinwood Senior Citizens. She departed this life Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, at her home at the age of 103 years, three months, and five days after a brief illness.
Survivors include a son, William Carl Harper and wife, Judy, Iron City, Tennessee; daughters, Agnes Lovall Sanderson, Florence, Alabama, Sue Miles Wertz and husband, George, Gurley, Alabama, Barbara Long and husband, Flavis, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sally Brewer and husband, Bennie, Gallatin, Tennessee, Brenda Squires and husband, Keith Crow, Franklin, Tennessee, and Wanda Harper Thompson, Cypress Inn, Tennessee; daughter-in-law, Sallie Harper, Cypress Inn, Tennessee; 22 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; 26 great-great-grandchildren; eight great-great-great-grandchildren; and 19 stepgreat-grandchildren; and a sister, Irene Hogan, Iron City, Tennessee.
In addition to her husband and parents, Mrs. Harper was preceded in death by daughter, Tamzy Onell Harper; sons, Waylon Odell Harper, Sammy Larry Harper, and James Byron Harper; grandson, Barry Wayne Nafe; great-grandson, Chance Nafe; an unnamed great-grandchild; and sons-in-law, John Sanderson, Larry Ayers, H. C. Thompson Jr., and Tom Squires.
Special thanks to Sharon Davis, Dr. Danny McFall, her quilting buddies, and Roger C. Balentine, a lifelong friend and professional who was thought of as family and was at most all special events for her…they loved each other. We, her children, want to thank our sister, Wanda, for taking such great care of Mother all these years and giving Mother the opportunity to enjoy traveling until her death.
Services will be Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, at 11 a.m. at Shackelford Funeral Director’s Chapel, Collinwood, Tennessee, with Luke Calton, Greg Eaton, Camryn Eaton, and Junior Overstreet officiating. Burial will follow in Railroad Cemetery, Iron City, Tennessee, with Shackelford Funeral Directors, Wayne County, directing. Pallbearers will be her 22 grandsons and granddaughters with her fourth, fifth, and sixth generations serving as honorary pallbearers. Visitation will be Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017, from 9 a.m. until service time at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the James Harper Courage Award (special Olympics) c/o Jenny Haddock, Bank of Collinwood, P.O. Box 8, Collinwood, TN, 38450, a hospice group, or a charity of your choice.
