Max Harper Jr.

Max Harper, Jr. was born September 26, 1922 in Holland, Texas and passed away into eternity with God and his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ January 6, 2013 at his home surrounded by his family in Dallas, Texas. He was raised on a cotton farm about 30 miles south of Dallas and graduated from Palmer High School in 1939. He attended Abilene Christian College 1939-1940 on a tuition scholarship and worked at Pop McElvey’s Café for his meals and mopped the floors of the dorm for his room. In 1940, he began working at Mercantile National Bank as a night bookkeeper. There he met his future bride of 69 years, Lois Virginia Kennedy. He joined the Army Air Corps in January, 1942 and was honorably discharged February 6, 1946. During that time, he got a 3 day pass from Ft. Worth Army Airfield and married Lois November 27, 1943. He attended SMU after his discharge and graduated in August, 1947 with a double major in Marketing and Personnel Administration. He was President of Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity. After graduation from SMU, he went to work for Nash- Kelvinator Corp (later American Motors) as an appliance wholesale salesman. While in Dallas and Houston from 1947-1969, he advanced through the ranks with Kelvinator until April, 1969, when he formed Harper Distributing, Inc. as the Kelvinator distributor in most of Texas until 1988. Harper Distributing, Inc. also pioneered the innovative Jenn-Air indoor grill and wholesaled Sylvania electronics, Chambers cooking equipment, and Scotsman Ice Machines. He was a faithful member of Skillman Ave Church of Christ where he was a Bible school teacher, deacon for many years and an elder for over 20 years. Max was preceded in death by his parents, Max, Sr. and Eunice, 2 brothers Edwin Earl and Bob Harper (and wife Edna Earl Harper, and his brother-in-law Mel Traylor.) He is survived by his sister, Beverly Traylor; his bride of 69 years, Lois; son Max III (and wife Ellen), daughter Brenda Gomez; grandchildren Tracey Shepherd (and husband Brian), Kelly Harper (and her fiancé Conner Sloan), Brady Harper, Chase Gomez, and Sterling Gomez; 3 great- grandchildren Todd, Natalie, and Harper Shepherd, and sister-in- law Myrlene Kennedy of Friendswood, TX. and many nieces, nephews and cousins. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christian Care Center 900 Wiggins Parkway Mesquite, TX. 75150 or Fosters Home for Children P.O. Box 978 Stephenville, TX. 76401. Visitation will be held at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 10, 2013. Funeral Service will be held at Skillman Ave Church of Christ 12:30 p.m. Friday, January 11, 2013 with burial to follow at Smith Cemetery in Palmer, TX.