Anna Elizabeth Harper, 91
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 13 years, 5 months AGO
Anna Elizabeth Harper, went home to her Lord on Aug. 22, 2011. She was born in Amarillo, Texas, on June 22, 1920, to JW and Minnie May Caldwell.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters and four brothers. Also, she has lost a granddaughter and a grandson, her first husband, Ray McRae, and her second husband, Rich Harper.
She married her high school sweetheart, E. Raymond McRae in 1936. They raised five children, Edgar R. Jr., Vera Ruth (Harper), John Howard, Richard James and MaryAnn (Welsh) and helped raise her niece, Connie Warren (Newman).
In 1941 the family moved from Amarillo to Los Angeles, Calif. The family moved several times during the years and in 1955 moved to Baldwin Park, Calif. Self-educated/trained she worked in local churches as secretary/education director and began teaching Sunday School teachers at the local and national level for the Southern Baptist. Anna loved the Lord Jesus, His Word and His people.
In 1970 she moved to Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Mill Valley, Calif., where she earned a master's in religious education and graduated with the class of 1972. She then accepted a position as Director of Religious Education for White Sands Army Missile Range, N.M. It was there that she met and married a rancher/farmer, Rich Harper of La Mesa, N.M., in 1974.
After the death of Rich in 1995, Anna then moved to Placentia, Calif., where she lived until moving to Coeur d'Alene in 2008.
Her family was her crowning achievement. She sacrificed much for each one without a thought for herself. Her life was an example to follow. She loved each child and grandchild dearly and they loved her. More than 40 members of the family gathered in Coeur d'Alene to celebrate her 90th birthday in June 2010.
She is survived by her five children, 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011, at Tapestry Christian Fellowship, 4572 Rose Drive, Yorba Linda, Calif. Please visit Anna's memorial and sign her online guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.
