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Mary Oleta Harper, age 87 of the Rock Springs community (Drew County) went to be with her Lord Sunday, March 16, 2014, at the St. Vincent Hospital in Little Rock, AR. She was a housewife and a faithful member of the Rock Springs United Methodist Church. She was born April 23, 1926, in Rock Springs, AR to the late Hugh Brown McKeown and Jennie Alma McKeown.
She was a member of the Drew County Home Extension Club and the United Methodist Women. Mrs. Oleta loved to cook, sew and quilt. When her health got to the point where she could not be as active in her church, she began her own ministries by cooking and sewing for others. She would make baby blankets to give away along with making scarf hats for women that were suffering from cancer.
She also had a soft spot for children as she always supported causes such as St. Judes Children’s Hopsital. However, Mrs. Oleta’s greatest love was her family. She deeply cherished raising her children and grandchildren along with providing a home for her hard working husband. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Bud, Zack, Loye and Fred McKeown, Neva Coose, Tassie Coose and Thelma Harper.
Survivors include her husband of seventy-one years, ExRay Harper of Rock Springs; four sons, Bobby Ray Harper and wife Renee of Glendale, Max Harper and wife Glenda of Camden, Mark Harper and wife Dennie of Monticello, and Warren Harper and wife Rhonda of Locust Bayou; three daughters, Judy Gibson and husband Sam of Warren, Joyce Lee of Rosebud, and Jenny Stone and husband Matt of Camden; seventeen grandchildren, Kim Harper, Chris Harper, Lillie Herring, Chad Gibson, Michele Jenkins, Melissa McCready, Melanie Burton, Hugh Harper, Mary Lambert, Matthew Harper, Adam Harper, Kelly Garner, Mason Stone, Hillary Stone, Daniel Harper, Bill Harper, and Nathen Harper; and thirty-six great grandchildren.
She was a member of the Drew County Home Extension Club and the United Methodist Women. Mrs. Oleta loved to cook, sew and quilt. When her health got to the point where she could not be as active in her church, she began her own ministries by cooking and sewing for others. She would make baby blankets to give away along with making scarf hats for women that were suffering from cancer.
She also had a soft spot for children as she always supported causes such as St. Judes Children’s Hopsital. However, Mrs. Oleta’s greatest love was her family. She deeply cherished raising her children and grandchildren along with providing a home for her hard working husband. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Bud, Zack, Loye and Fred McKeown, Neva Coose, Tassie Coose and Thelma Harper.
Survivors include her husband of seventy-one years, ExRay Harper of Rock Springs; four sons, Bobby Ray Harper and wife Renee of Glendale, Max Harper and wife Glenda of Camden, Mark Harper and wife Dennie of Monticello, and Warren Harper and wife Rhonda of Locust Bayou; three daughters, Judy Gibson and husband Sam of Warren, Joyce Lee of Rosebud, and Jenny Stone and husband Matt of Camden; seventeen grandchildren, Kim Harper, Chris Harper, Lillie Herring, Chad Gibson, Michele Jenkins, Melissa McCready, Melanie Burton, Hugh Harper, Mary Lambert, Matthew Harper, Adam Harper, Kelly Garner, Mason Stone, Hillary Stone, Daniel Harper, Bill Harper, and Nathen Harper; and thirty-six great grandchildren.