Sheila Virginia Harper was born May 29, 1948, in Philadelphia. She was the fourth child of the late Edward Underwood and Sarah Frances Wright. A month after Sheila's birth, the Wrights left the City of Brotherly Love and relocated their growing family to East Riverton, N.J.
Educated in the Cinnaminson and Palmyra school systems, Sheila graduated from Palmyra High School in 1966 and enrolled at Temple University in Ambler, Pa. It was during high school, though, that Sheila, who was known for her style and grace, met her best friend and the love of her life, Garfield Harper Jr., a.k.a. Harp, in 1965. They were united in holy matrimony on July 25, 1970, and five years later, they started a trucking business and went on the road together.
While successfully operating the trucking company, Sheila also began her 30-plus-year career as a proofreader and copy editor – first at Reuben H. Donnelley (in Philadelphia and Havertown, Pa.) where she eventually became the supervisor of a group of proofreaders. She became a mother at age 29, with the birth of her son, Marques, a journalist and writer, on Aug. 30, 1977. The family of three lived in Riverside, N.J., before moving to their home in Westampton, N.J., in 1981.
By then, Sheila had returned to work. She was a proofreader for Datapro Information Services, a division of the former McGraw-Hill Companies, in Delran, N.J., and she later became a copy editor for the company and its successor, Gartner, before she retired in 2009.
When she was 36, Sheila was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For the remaining decades of her life, she courageously battled the progression of the disease while continuing to enjoy her life with her husband, son, family, friends and her church family.
Sheila joined St. Mary Street United Methodist Church of Burlington, N.J., in 1971 and remained an active member through her recent hospitalization. On some Sunday mornings during the pandemic, she led the church in the scripture reading from her bedside at home via teleconference. Sheila also served on the church's trustee board for many years and was a member of the pastor's staff relations committee and the secretary for the United Methodist Women's fellowship.
She was active with her husband in the Teamsters Local 384 union of Norristown, Pa., and she belonged to the Teamsters National Black Caucus. She also helped support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
At age 73, Sheila went home to be with her Lord and Savior in the early hours of Jan. 4, 2022, during a 33-day hospital stay in Mount Holly, N.J.
Left to cherish her memory are her devoted husband of 51 ½ years, Garfield Harp, her loving son, Marques, her brothers, Richard Wright (Eileen) and Marvin Wright, her sisters, Barbara Cobb (Robert), Elaine Davis (Robert), Sandra Morris and Marilyn Whittington (Elwood), as well as many nephews, nieces, cousins, family members and friends.
Sheila V. Harper, of Westampton, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Celebration of her life will be held, Tuesday, January 18, 2022 11AM (Family Only) at St. Mary's Street UM Church, 483 St. Mary Street, Burlington, NJ. Walk through viewing will be 10 AM until time of service. Interment: BGWCD Veteran Memorial Cemetery. Service of Comfort to the family by The TL Hutton Family & Friends Funeral Services, 869 Beverly Road, Burlington, NJ.
Educated in the Cinnaminson and Palmyra school systems, Sheila graduated from Palmyra High School in 1966 and enrolled at Temple University in Ambler, Pa. It was during high school, though, that Sheila, who was known for her style and grace, met her best friend and the love of her life, Garfield Harper Jr., a.k.a. Harp, in 1965. They were united in holy matrimony on July 25, 1970, and five years later, they started a trucking business and went on the road together.
While successfully operating the trucking company, Sheila also began her 30-plus-year career as a proofreader and copy editor – first at Reuben H. Donnelley (in Philadelphia and Havertown, Pa.) where she eventually became the supervisor of a group of proofreaders. She became a mother at age 29, with the birth of her son, Marques, a journalist and writer, on Aug. 30, 1977. The family of three lived in Riverside, N.J., before moving to their home in Westampton, N.J., in 1981.
By then, Sheila had returned to work. She was a proofreader for Datapro Information Services, a division of the former McGraw-Hill Companies, in Delran, N.J., and she later became a copy editor for the company and its successor, Gartner, before she retired in 2009.
When she was 36, Sheila was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For the remaining decades of her life, she courageously battled the progression of the disease while continuing to enjoy her life with her husband, son, family, friends and her church family.
Sheila joined St. Mary Street United Methodist Church of Burlington, N.J., in 1971 and remained an active member through her recent hospitalization. On some Sunday mornings during the pandemic, she led the church in the scripture reading from her bedside at home via teleconference. Sheila also served on the church's trustee board for many years and was a member of the pastor's staff relations committee and the secretary for the United Methodist Women's fellowship.
She was active with her husband in the Teamsters Local 384 union of Norristown, Pa., and she belonged to the Teamsters National Black Caucus. She also helped support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
At age 73, Sheila went home to be with her Lord and Savior in the early hours of Jan. 4, 2022, during a 33-day hospital stay in Mount Holly, N.J.
Left to cherish her memory are her devoted husband of 51 ½ years, Garfield Harp, her loving son, Marques, her brothers, Richard Wright (Eileen) and Marvin Wright, her sisters, Barbara Cobb (Robert), Elaine Davis (Robert), Sandra Morris and Marilyn Whittington (Elwood), as well as many nephews, nieces, cousins, family members and friends.
Sheila V. Harper, of Westampton, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Celebration of her life will be held, Tuesday, January 18, 2022 11AM (Family Only) at St. Mary's Street UM Church, 483 St. Mary Street, Burlington, NJ. Walk through viewing will be 10 AM until time of service. Interment: BGWCD Veteran Memorial Cemetery. Service of Comfort to the family by The TL Hutton Family & Friends Funeral Services, 869 Beverly Road, Burlington, NJ.
Sheila Virginia Harper was born May 29, 1948, in Philadelphia. She was the fourth child of the late Edward Underwood and Sarah Frances Wright. A month after Sheila's birth, the Wrights left the City of Brotherly Love and relocated their growing family to East Riverton, N.J.
Educated in the Cinnaminson and Palmyra school systems, Sheila graduated from Palmyra High School in 1966 and enrolled at Temple University in Ambler, Pa. It was during high school, though, that Sheila, who was known for her style and grace, met her best friend and the love of her life, Garfield Harper Jr., a.k.a. Harp, in 1965. They were united in holy matrimony on July 25, 1970, and five years later, they started a trucking business and went on the road together.
While successfully operating the trucking company, Sheila also began her 30-plus-year career as a proofreader and copy editor – first at Reuben H. Donnelley (in Philadelphia and Havertown, Pa.) where she eventually became the supervisor of a group of proofreaders. She became a mother at age 29, with the birth of her son, Marques, a journalist and writer, on Aug. 30, 1977. The family of three lived in Riverside, N.J., before moving to their home in Westampton, N.J., in 1981.
By then, Sheila had returned to work. She was a proofreader for Datapro Information Services, a division of the former McGraw-Hill Companies, in Delran, N.J., and she later became a copy editor for the company and its successor, Gartner, before she retired in 2009.
When she was 36, Sheila was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For the remaining decades of her life, she courageously battled the progression of the disease while continuing to enjoy her life with her husband, son, family, friends and her church family.
Sheila joined St. Mary Street United Methodist Church of Burlington, N.J., in 1971 and remained an active member through her recent hospitalization. On some Sunday mornings during the pandemic, she led the church in the scripture reading from her bedside at home via teleconference. Sheila also served on the church's trustee board for many years and was a member of the pastor's staff relations committee and the secretary for the United Methodist Women's fellowship.
She was active with her husband in the Teamsters Local 384 union of Norristown, Pa., and she belonged to the Teamsters National Black Caucus. She also helped support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
At age 73, Sheila went home to be with her Lord and Savior in the early hours of Jan. 4, 2022, during a 33-day hospital stay in Mount Holly, N.J.
Left to cherish her memory are her devoted husband of 51 ½ years, Garfield Harp, her loving son, Marques, her brothers, Richard Wright (Eileen) and Marvin Wright, her sisters, Barbara Cobb (Robert), Elaine Davis (Robert), Sandra Morris and Marilyn Whittington (Elwood), as well as many nephews, nieces, cousins, family members and friends.
Sheila V. Harper, of Westampton, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Celebration of her life will be held, Tuesday, January 18, 2022 11AM (Family Only) at St. Mary's Street UM Church, 483 St. Mary Street, Burlington, NJ. Walk through viewing will be 10 AM until time of service. Interment: BGWCD Veteran Memorial Cemetery. Service of Comfort to the family by The TL Hutton Family & Friends Funeral Services, 869 Beverly Road, Burlington, NJ.
Educated in the Cinnaminson and Palmyra school systems, Sheila graduated from Palmyra High School in 1966 and enrolled at Temple University in Ambler, Pa. It was during high school, though, that Sheila, who was known for her style and grace, met her best friend and the love of her life, Garfield Harper Jr., a.k.a. Harp, in 1965. They were united in holy matrimony on July 25, 1970, and five years later, they started a trucking business and went on the road together.
While successfully operating the trucking company, Sheila also began her 30-plus-year career as a proofreader and copy editor – first at Reuben H. Donnelley (in Philadelphia and Havertown, Pa.) where she eventually became the supervisor of a group of proofreaders. She became a mother at age 29, with the birth of her son, Marques, a journalist and writer, on Aug. 30, 1977. The family of three lived in Riverside, N.J., before moving to their home in Westampton, N.J., in 1981.
By then, Sheila had returned to work. She was a proofreader for Datapro Information Services, a division of the former McGraw-Hill Companies, in Delran, N.J., and she later became a copy editor for the company and its successor, Gartner, before she retired in 2009.
When she was 36, Sheila was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For the remaining decades of her life, she courageously battled the progression of the disease while continuing to enjoy her life with her husband, son, family, friends and her church family.
Sheila joined St. Mary Street United Methodist Church of Burlington, N.J., in 1971 and remained an active member through her recent hospitalization. On some Sunday mornings during the pandemic, she led the church in the scripture reading from her bedside at home via teleconference. Sheila also served on the church's trustee board for many years and was a member of the pastor's staff relations committee and the secretary for the United Methodist Women's fellowship.
She was active with her husband in the Teamsters Local 384 union of Norristown, Pa., and she belonged to the Teamsters National Black Caucus. She also helped support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
At age 73, Sheila went home to be with her Lord and Savior in the early hours of Jan. 4, 2022, during a 33-day hospital stay in Mount Holly, N.J.
Left to cherish her memory are her devoted husband of 51 ½ years, Garfield Harp, her loving son, Marques, her brothers, Richard Wright (Eileen) and Marvin Wright, her sisters, Barbara Cobb (Robert), Elaine Davis (Robert), Sandra Morris and Marilyn Whittington (Elwood), as well as many nephews, nieces, cousins, family members and friends.
Sheila V. Harper, of Westampton, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Celebration of her life will be held, Tuesday, January 18, 2022 11AM (Family Only) at St. Mary's Street UM Church, 483 St. Mary Street, Burlington, NJ. Walk through viewing will be 10 AM until time of service. Interment: BGWCD Veteran Memorial Cemetery. Service of Comfort to the family by The TL Hutton Family & Friends Funeral Services, 869 Beverly Road, Burlington, NJ.
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