Kerry Harper, Jr.

Kerry E. Harper Jr.
April 3, 2004

Kerry Eugene Harper Jr., 31, of Cumberland, passed away on Thursday, April 1, 2004, at the WMHS Memorial Campus Hospital.

Born Aug. 25, 1972, in Cumberland, he was the son of Robert and Pamela Peck and Kerry (Butter) Harper, Fredericksburg, Va., a stepmother, Yvonne (Poole) Harper, Fredericksburg. Mr. Harper was preceded in death by his beloved maternal grandmother, Dorothy Lee Redman; and a father-in-law, Michael Dennis Smith.

Kerry was large in stature but a very meek, kind, gentle, and loving man. He was a counselor at Spectrum Support of Western Maryland Services. He also worked for the State of Maryland as a counselor for exceptional children and adults. He was a graduate of Allegany High School and attended Saint Mark's Community Church. He loved to play sports, especially basketball and was an avid fisherman. He also loved to play video games. Besides his parents, Kerry is survived by his wife, Nicole Lynn Smith-Harper; his son, Christian Scott Harper, Cumberland; his daughter, Constance Smith, Cumberland; his brother, Daniel B. Harper and his wife Kelly, Columbus, Ohio; his three sisters, Dionne Michele Harper-Bowers and her husband Sean, Columbus, Rondal Zapf and her husband James, Cumberland, and Maia Harper, Frederick; his mother-in-law, Victoria Shell, Cumberland; a brother-in-law, Nathan Shell, and a sister-in-law, Laurie Shell, Cumberland; his grandmother, Betty Markley, Cumberland; his maternal grandfather, Louis D. Redman, Cumberland; his paternal grandparents, Robert and Josephine Harper, Frostburg; a maternal grandfather, Carl Fisher Jr., Cumberland; a maternal grandmother, Helen Peck, Cumberland; a special uncle, Carl "Buddy" H. Fisher III; his cousin, "Sister" Tifani Fisher, Cumberland; three nieces, Chutnee Harper, Cumberland, Madison Gore, Cumberland, and Rebekkoh Gomer, Cumberland; six nephews, Cory Harper, Austin Yates, Caleb Bowers, Mikey Thornton, Malachi Thornton, and Kayden Shell, all of Cumberland; a very special friend he dearly loved and cared for thru his employment, Eddie Rice, Cumberland; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Friends will be received at the Adams Family Funeral Home, P.A., (formerly Merritt-Adams Funeral Home, P.A.), 404 Decatur St., Cumberland, on Monday, April 5, 2004, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral service will be conducted at the funeral home on Tuesday, April 6, 2004, at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Harold Shaffer of Saint Mark's Community Church officiating and the Rev. Dr. Alfred Deas of the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, assisting. Pallbearers will be Eddie Rice, Nathan Shell, Brian Pettie, Niles Harper Jr., Aaron Harris, Wesley Harper, and Keith Harper. Interment will be at Saint Mary's Cemetery. The family would like to invite you to celebrate with them after the service at Saint Mark's.