Michael Joe (Mike) Harper, age 59, passed away on April 25, 2020 after a 20-year battle with kidney disease and a yearlong battle with brain cancer at his home in Tyler, Texas under hospice care with his son and his wife by his side.
Michael Joe Harper was born in Marshall, TX on Feb 8, 1961, the only child of Ann and Joe Harper. He attended Marshall Public Schools and graduated from Marshall High School in 1979. Mike continued his education by completing the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Journeyman Apprenticeship, Local 324, Longview, Texas. He worked as a licensed electrician for several companies, at the beginning of his career; his lifelong oil and gas electrical contracting passion began when he went to work for Marshall Exploration, Inc. Mike took over his family’s business, LG Norris Electrical Contracting, and expanded industrial and oil and gas electrical service with MSAs in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Battling kidney disease forced him to close LG Norris and go to work as a Foreman with Tri-State Electrical Contracting. Eventually, Mike traded his tool belt for a desk and went to work for Great Plains/Chesapeake Energy in sales and management. Oilfield life being what it is led to a host of positions with tools, chemicals, containment, etc. in various locations on the road. When his mom fell ill, Mike returned to Marshall to care for her until her death and ended his career the way it started as a union electrician, Local 301, on a job in Longview Texas.
“Harp” was an avid outdoors man who loved to hunt, fish, motocross and travel. He was a lifetime member NRA and Ducks Unlimited. He attended St. Joseph Catholic Church, was a member of the Knight of Columbus, and reached the 3rd degree. After moving to Tyler, Mike joined St. Mary Magdalene Church and attended until he was too ill. Mike will be remembered for his distinctive voice, his giving nature and love of talking.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Delores Ann McGuire Harper and Joseph Leon (Joe) Harper, Jr.; his maternal grandparents, Delores and Homer McGuire and his paternal grandparents, Grace Wheeler Harper and JL Harper, Sr.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Lisa Frazier Harper; his son, Michael Hunter Harper; mother-in-law, Helen Frazier (Mimi) Mills; sister- and brother- in- law, Dawn and Chase Frazier; niece, Ashley Mabry; nephew, Cameron Toney; paternal aunt and uncle, Glenda and James Harrell; paternal aunt and uncle, Betty and Kenneth Mullins; maternal aunt and uncle, Teresa and Jay McGuire; special family friends: Billie and Vance Anderson, Kim and Scott Hogg, Joni and Dallas Rogers, Brenden and Moriah Thelen, Lauren Thompson.
Honorary pallbearers will be Hunter Harper, Chase Frazier, David Loe, Chip Johnson, Kason Smith, Chris Taylor, Clay Meisch, and Willie Mills.
Mike’s family offers a very sincere thanks to those who cared for him in his final days at The Hospice of East Texas, especially Tammy, Peggy, Tim and Mike as well as gratitude to Brother Bob Bryant and Father James Rowland for their spiritual guidance.
Due to COVID restrictions, a private graveside burial will be held for the family at Grange Hall Cemetery in Marshall, Texas. When COVID restrictions are lifted, a Celebration of Life Service will be held at Downs Funeral Home in Marshall, and a memorial mass will be held at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Tyler (Flint), Texas for all of those who knew and loved Mike to attend.
Michael Joe Harper was born in Marshall, TX on Feb 8, 1961, the only child of Ann and Joe Harper. He attended Marshall Public Schools and graduated from Marshall High School in 1979. Mike continued his education by completing the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Journeyman Apprenticeship, Local 324, Longview, Texas. He worked as a licensed electrician for several companies, at the beginning of his career; his lifelong oil and gas electrical contracting passion began when he went to work for Marshall Exploration, Inc. Mike took over his family’s business, LG Norris Electrical Contracting, and expanded industrial and oil and gas electrical service with MSAs in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Battling kidney disease forced him to close LG Norris and go to work as a Foreman with Tri-State Electrical Contracting. Eventually, Mike traded his tool belt for a desk and went to work for Great Plains/Chesapeake Energy in sales and management. Oilfield life being what it is led to a host of positions with tools, chemicals, containment, etc. in various locations on the road. When his mom fell ill, Mike returned to Marshall to care for her until her death and ended his career the way it started as a union electrician, Local 301, on a job in Longview Texas.
“Harp” was an avid outdoors man who loved to hunt, fish, motocross and travel. He was a lifetime member NRA and Ducks Unlimited. He attended St. Joseph Catholic Church, was a member of the Knight of Columbus, and reached the 3rd degree. After moving to Tyler, Mike joined St. Mary Magdalene Church and attended until he was too ill. Mike will be remembered for his distinctive voice, his giving nature and love of talking.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Delores Ann McGuire Harper and Joseph Leon (Joe) Harper, Jr.; his maternal grandparents, Delores and Homer McGuire and his paternal grandparents, Grace Wheeler Harper and JL Harper, Sr.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Lisa Frazier Harper; his son, Michael Hunter Harper; mother-in-law, Helen Frazier (Mimi) Mills; sister- and brother- in- law, Dawn and Chase Frazier; niece, Ashley Mabry; nephew, Cameron Toney; paternal aunt and uncle, Glenda and James Harrell; paternal aunt and uncle, Betty and Kenneth Mullins; maternal aunt and uncle, Teresa and Jay McGuire; special family friends: Billie and Vance Anderson, Kim and Scott Hogg, Joni and Dallas Rogers, Brenden and Moriah Thelen, Lauren Thompson.
Honorary pallbearers will be Hunter Harper, Chase Frazier, David Loe, Chip Johnson, Kason Smith, Chris Taylor, Clay Meisch, and Willie Mills.
Mike’s family offers a very sincere thanks to those who cared for him in his final days at The Hospice of East Texas, especially Tammy, Peggy, Tim and Mike as well as gratitude to Brother Bob Bryant and Father James Rowland for their spiritual guidance.
Due to COVID restrictions, a private graveside burial will be held for the family at Grange Hall Cemetery in Marshall, Texas. When COVID restrictions are lifted, a Celebration of Life Service will be held at Downs Funeral Home in Marshall, and a memorial mass will be held at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Tyler (Flint), Texas for all of those who knew and loved Mike to attend.
Michael Joe (Mike) Harper, age 59, passed away on April 25, 2020 after a 20-year battle with kidney disease and a yearlong battle with brain cancer at his home in Tyler, Texas under hospice care with his son and his wife by his side.
Michael Joe Harper was born in Marshall, TX on Feb 8, 1961, the only child of Ann and Joe Harper. He attended Marshall Public Schools and graduated from Marshall High School in 1979. Mike continued his education by completing the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Journeyman Apprenticeship, Local 324, Longview, Texas. He worked as a licensed electrician for several companies, at the beginning of his career; his lifelong oil and gas electrical contracting passion began when he went to work for Marshall Exploration, Inc. Mike took over his family’s business, LG Norris Electrical Contracting, and expanded industrial and oil and gas electrical service with MSAs in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Battling kidney disease forced him to close LG Norris and go to work as a Foreman with Tri-State Electrical Contracting. Eventually, Mike traded his tool belt for a desk and went to work for Great Plains/Chesapeake Energy in sales and management. Oilfield life being what it is led to a host of positions with tools, chemicals, containment, etc. in various locations on the road. When his mom fell ill, Mike returned to Marshall to care for her until her death and ended his career the way it started as a union electrician, Local 301, on a job in Longview Texas.
“Harp” was an avid outdoors man who loved to hunt, fish, motocross and travel. He was a lifetime member NRA and Ducks Unlimited. He attended St. Joseph Catholic Church, was a member of the Knight of Columbus, and reached the 3rd degree. After moving to Tyler, Mike joined St. Mary Magdalene Church and attended until he was too ill. Mike will be remembered for his distinctive voice, his giving nature and love of talking.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Delores Ann McGuire Harper and Joseph Leon (Joe) Harper, Jr.; his maternal grandparents, Delores and Homer McGuire and his paternal grandparents, Grace Wheeler Harper and JL Harper, Sr.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Lisa Frazier Harper; his son, Michael Hunter Harper; mother-in-law, Helen Frazier (Mimi) Mills; sister- and brother- in- law, Dawn and Chase Frazier; niece, Ashley Mabry; nephew, Cameron Toney; paternal aunt and uncle, Glenda and James Harrell; paternal aunt and uncle, Betty and Kenneth Mullins; maternal aunt and uncle, Teresa and Jay McGuire; special family friends: Billie and Vance Anderson, Kim and Scott Hogg, Joni and Dallas Rogers, Brenden and Moriah Thelen, Lauren Thompson.
Honorary pallbearers will be Hunter Harper, Chase Frazier, David Loe, Chip Johnson, Kason Smith, Chris Taylor, Clay Meisch, and Willie Mills.
Mike’s family offers a very sincere thanks to those who cared for him in his final days at The Hospice of East Texas, especially Tammy, Peggy, Tim and Mike as well as gratitude to Brother Bob Bryant and Father James Rowland for their spiritual guidance.
Due to COVID restrictions, a private graveside burial will be held for the family at Grange Hall Cemetery in Marshall, Texas. When COVID restrictions are lifted, a Celebration of Life Service will be held at Downs Funeral Home in Marshall, and a memorial mass will be held at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Tyler (Flint), Texas for all of those who knew and loved Mike to attend.
Michael Joe Harper was born in Marshall, TX on Feb 8, 1961, the only child of Ann and Joe Harper. He attended Marshall Public Schools and graduated from Marshall High School in 1979. Mike continued his education by completing the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Journeyman Apprenticeship, Local 324, Longview, Texas. He worked as a licensed electrician for several companies, at the beginning of his career; his lifelong oil and gas electrical contracting passion began when he went to work for Marshall Exploration, Inc. Mike took over his family’s business, LG Norris Electrical Contracting, and expanded industrial and oil and gas electrical service with MSAs in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Battling kidney disease forced him to close LG Norris and go to work as a Foreman with Tri-State Electrical Contracting. Eventually, Mike traded his tool belt for a desk and went to work for Great Plains/Chesapeake Energy in sales and management. Oilfield life being what it is led to a host of positions with tools, chemicals, containment, etc. in various locations on the road. When his mom fell ill, Mike returned to Marshall to care for her until her death and ended his career the way it started as a union electrician, Local 301, on a job in Longview Texas.
“Harp” was an avid outdoors man who loved to hunt, fish, motocross and travel. He was a lifetime member NRA and Ducks Unlimited. He attended St. Joseph Catholic Church, was a member of the Knight of Columbus, and reached the 3rd degree. After moving to Tyler, Mike joined St. Mary Magdalene Church and attended until he was too ill. Mike will be remembered for his distinctive voice, his giving nature and love of talking.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Delores Ann McGuire Harper and Joseph Leon (Joe) Harper, Jr.; his maternal grandparents, Delores and Homer McGuire and his paternal grandparents, Grace Wheeler Harper and JL Harper, Sr.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Lisa Frazier Harper; his son, Michael Hunter Harper; mother-in-law, Helen Frazier (Mimi) Mills; sister- and brother- in- law, Dawn and Chase Frazier; niece, Ashley Mabry; nephew, Cameron Toney; paternal aunt and uncle, Glenda and James Harrell; paternal aunt and uncle, Betty and Kenneth Mullins; maternal aunt and uncle, Teresa and Jay McGuire; special family friends: Billie and Vance Anderson, Kim and Scott Hogg, Joni and Dallas Rogers, Brenden and Moriah Thelen, Lauren Thompson.
Honorary pallbearers will be Hunter Harper, Chase Frazier, David Loe, Chip Johnson, Kason Smith, Chris Taylor, Clay Meisch, and Willie Mills.
Mike’s family offers a very sincere thanks to those who cared for him in his final days at The Hospice of East Texas, especially Tammy, Peggy, Tim and Mike as well as gratitude to Brother Bob Bryant and Father James Rowland for their spiritual guidance.
Due to COVID restrictions, a private graveside burial will be held for the family at Grange Hall Cemetery in Marshall, Texas. When COVID restrictions are lifted, a Celebration of Life Service will be held at Downs Funeral Home in Marshall, and a memorial mass will be held at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Tyler (Flint), Texas for all of those who knew and loved Mike to attend.
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