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Galen Harper
COLUMBIA, Mo. — On Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023, Galen DeWitt Harper, a beloved husband, father, stepfather and grandfather passed away. He was 75.
Born to Ollien Harper and Lois Harper nee Crenshaw in Cairo, Illinois, on Jan. 2, 1948, Galen graduated from Charleston High School in Charleston, Missouri, in 1965 and studied at Southeast Missouri State University.
He was previously married to Claudia Anna Caldwell in 1967.
He currently is survived by his wife and best friend, Sherry Lee Harper nee Williams of Columbia. They were “Two Peas in a Pod” and did everything together, where one was, so was the other. He enjoyed watching Missouri Tigers and Kansas City Chiefs football. In his earlier years, he was a Deputy Sheriff in Scott County and enjoyed being a cowboy and rodeoing at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo. He enjoyed eating Mexican food, margaritas and drinking a cold beer. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, holidays, sports, children and grandchildren.
He had made his career working for Fabick Caterpillar for 47 years. He had worked himself up as a parts manager in Sikeston, Missouri, with the last 17 years in Columbia.
He is survived by three daughters, Lynne (Jim) Gipson of Sikeston, Claudia (Joey) Little of Clever, Missouri, Rebecca (Larry) Standridge of Sikeston; stepdaughter, Ereka Cook Copeland (Craig) of Columbia; and stepson, Repps Goodson of Springfield, Missouri. There are 11 grandchildren that call him “Papa Galen”: Katey (Justin) Wibbenmeyer, Hunter (Madison) Gipson, Dawson Little, Harper (Will) Boswell, Wyatt Standridge, Conner Cook, Lauren Cook, Andrew Copeland, Olivia Copeland, Drake Goodson and Tinsley A Goodson. He is also a great-grandfather to Lane Wibbenmeyer, Kyler Wibbenmeyer and Aiden Loza-Cook.
He is also survived by his sisters, Martha Harper Dillon of Daytona, Florida, Sharon Harper Loomis of Bella Vista, Arkansas, Dixie Harper Corrigan of Lakeland, Florida; and brother, Charles Harper of Paragould, Arkansas.
Galen was preceded in death by his parents, Ollien and Lois Harper; sisters, Annette, Frances, Margaret; and his stepson, Derek Cook.
A celebration of life will be held at noon on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, at Bach-Yager Funeral Chapel with the family greeting friends from 11 a.m. until the time of the service. Following the service, Galen will be laid to rest in the Columbia Cemetery.
Bach-Yager Funeral Chapel is honored to serve the Harper Family.
Memorial contributions may be given to The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo; P.O. Box 5; Sikeston, MO 63801.