Raymond Russell Harper, 70, of Talbot County, Georgia, died Saturday, July 23, 2016, at St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, Georgia.
Funeral services will be held, 2 PM, Wednesday, July 27, 2016, at the Bethlehem Baptist Church, in Irwin County, with Joey Veal officiating. Interment will follow in the Bethlehem Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:30 until 2:00 PM, at the church, before the service.
Mr. Harper was born February 9, 1946, in Ocilla, Georgia, to the late Mose Mathias and Lannie Kelly Harper. He graduated from Irwin County High School and lived in the Talbot County and Box Springs Georgia area for the past 15 and a half years. He was owner and operator of Ray Harper Enterprise Trucking Company. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and dearly loved his “Little Bear” dog. Mr. Harper was of the Baptist faith.
He is survived by his children: Danny & Kristi Harper of Box Springs, Frank& Melinda Strubel of Maryville, Tennessee and Steffen & Karen Strubel of Mauldin, South Carolina; grandchildren: Austin, Nathan, JoLee, Savannah, Harley, Avery, Joshua, Johnathan, Hope, Sarah Joy, Grace, Christian, Faith and Josiah. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife: Erika Reichl-Michalik Harper; a daughter: Angela Harper; brothers: Vernon Harper, Mose William “Buddy” Harper and Jimmy Harper; sisters: Ada Nipper Young, Shirley McCook and Dianne Osborne.