Dad

Bertrand Russell, the great British philosopher and humanist, wrote:

"An individual human existence should be like a river~small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and~in the end~without any visible break, they become merged with the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.

The man or woman who, in old age, can see life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things they care for will continue."

To the rational person death is the end of the conscious personality, and the only immortality lies in the influence individuals have had on the people in their lives, and in their children and grandchildren. We remember people we knew in the past, who have since died, and get pleasure from having known them. Sometimes we even forget that they are dead as they are still in our thoughts. We do not have to persuade ourselves that we will actually meet them again, in the flesh or in some other form. We can derive comfort from thinking that we ourselves may have left some good memories for our friends and family to enjoy when we are dead.

Dad was always a rational man, and he taught his children to believe in logic, to draw strength from knowledge, and to build a life upon a foundation of truth. He never minced words, he never knowingly lied, and he expected the same, in return, from everyone he met. We will remember him, mostly, for that.

"Let my work speak for me. . ."

One of the greatest legacies John has left for his family is the incrredible work he has done on the genealogy of the Harper family. Most proudly, after many treks through cemeteries in central New York and one cross-country trip into the midwest, John has located every member of the family from the first settlers to the long lost grandfather, Samuel, who left New York after the death of his wife and was never heard from again.

But he was an artisan, as well. Inside that hard exterior dwelled the mind of a man capable of great abstract thought; and those thoughts, translated through his carpenter's hands, became incredible gifts for his family.

For his granddaughter, Christina, John created a house full of Barbie furniture; the wood came from a cherry tree that was felled by his son, John Jr. Each piece is a replica of an item from the Harden Furniture Co. As long as this set survives, John will live in the memory of the little girl who played with it.

Page created by Diane Harper September, 2005

For his daughter, Diane, John crafted this display rack and this quilt rack. The quilt is an heirloom, made by a family friend and Diane's godmother, Helen Miriam.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in the Valley, pictured in the plate at the top of the display rack, is also a beneficiary of John's handiwork, as he and his brother Charles donated many hours of selfless labor when an addition was made to the old church and it was remodeled into a parish hall.

For his grandson, Lee Jr., John made this display case for his collection of paperweights. And what boy wouldn't treasure forever a handcrafted workbench and stool!

Sue Ann still treasures the wardrobe and bed John made for both sisters and their Ginny dolls.

When Christina began to collect key chains from vacations and soccer tournaments, John created this display board for them; a place to keep her childhood memories alive.

For his wife and their home, John has crafted many fine items, including a full size grandfather's clock, which has stood for more than 25 years in the living room of the house. When John helped his brother build a 1" scaled miniature doll house for his daughter, he created a miniature living room, 1" scale for Lillian, which includes a miniature replica of the clock. The pictures hanging on the wall of the miniature room are John, Lillian, John Jr., Diane, and SueAnn. Each item in the house, including the shingles and the siding, were hand-crafted by John. The furniture is made of wood from the same cherry log that was used to create the Barbie furniture and the mug display rack (above).

Click on the button above to see more of John's craft.

Born: March 28, 1923Died: September 15, 2005

We will love you forever!