Lois Virginia Kennedy Harper was born in a tent in Kosse, Texas, March 22, 1923 and passed away into eternity with God and her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ August 21, 2016. She was raised in Limestone County and graduated from Jewett High School in 1941. She then caught the train and moved to Dallas to attend Draughons Business College. To support herself, she got a job at Mercantile National Bank in downtown Dallas as the first female bank teller. While working at the Mercantile, she caught the eye of a night bookkeeper named Max Harper, Jr. They married November 27, 1943, a marriage that lasted 69 plus years. Their years together in Dallas, Pasadena, TX (1954-1961), then Dallas again were always centered around family and their church families (Skillman Avenue Church of Christ in Dallas & Central Church of Christ in Pasadena) and served in various leadership roles for many decades. Camping trips to Lake Dallas, Lake Texoma, and Lake Ouachita in Arkansas are among the highlights for her family and friends. Also, Lois and Max, Jr. frequently hosted Bible studies and annual family and business Christmas and New Years Eve parties in their home. Lois aka "MOGO" faithfully attended the activities of her 5 grandchildren in Duncanville ISD and Highland Park ISD. In addition, she annually took her grandchildren (and a friend for each) to Friendswood, TX, to attend the Friendswood HS musical produced and directed by her loving sister, Dr. Myrlene Kennedy. Lois was preceded in death by her parents, William Jasper and Eunice Brady Kennedy (1975 & 1987); husband, Max Harper, Jr. (2013); and sister Eunice Myrlene Kennedy (2014). Lois is survived by her son Max III (Ellen), daughter Brenda Kim Harper Gomez; grandchildren Tracey Shepherd (Brian), Kelly Sloan (Connor), Brady Harper (Katie), Chase Gomez, and Sterling Gomez; 5 great-grandchildren Todd, Natalie, and Harper Shepherd, and Lincoln and Beckett Sloan. In addition, Lois and Max, Jr. were blessed by their sweet housekeeper for 25 years, Emma. Lois was able to stay at home for the past 44 months with the help of 3 caregiver angels: Sharon, Pam and Michelle. Visitation will be held Friday, August 26 from 6pm to 8pm at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home. Services will be held at Skillman Church of Christ (3014 Skillman Street Dallas, TX 75206) on Saturday, August 27 at 1pm and internment will follow at Smith Cemetery in Palmer, TX.
Published in Dallas Morning News on Aug. 25, 2016