William L. Harper

Dr. William Lee Harper, 69, passed away Wednesday, August 31, surrounded by his family. Bill was born in El Dorado, AR to Dr. John and Virginia Harper, and spent his childhood enjoying the outdoors on his family farm.

A graduate of El Dorado High School and proud Eagle Scout, he then attended college at Hendrix College and graduate school at Auburn University before attending UAMS School of Medicine. Following in his father’s footsteps, he chose to specialize in Family Medicine and completed his residency with AHEC in his hometown. He spent his life committed to serving his community through his work at Harper Clinic and as Chief of Staff at Medical Center of South Arkansas. He truly enjoyed going to work every day and often ran behind schedule due to spending extra time visiting with his patients who he thought of as his friends as well.

Bill enjoyed spending his free time hunting, fishing, piloting, and reading. As a lifelong learner, he taught himself welding, blacksmithing, masonry, woodworking, gardening, and many other skills. He was looking forward to spending his retirement in his new workshop honing his skills. His favorite activity though was spending quality time with his favorite friends and his family, and surprising them with his wry sense of humor.

He will be dearly missed by his wife, Susan; his children, Caroline Hardin, William (Whitney Campbell), Annaleigh Quinn (Luke), and Suzannah; his sisters, Mary Ethel Morgan (Alan) and Ginger Jones (Ron), and their families; his sister-in-law, Annette Hurley (Candi Grace); his cousin, Thomas Greenhaw; and his patients and many friends near and far. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Virginia Harper, his in-laws, Edward and Shirley Hurley, and his beloved dog, Gucci.

A memorial service will be held Tuesday, September 6, at 11:00 am at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in El Dorado, AR. Immediately following the service, friends are invited to join the family for a reception in St. Mary’s Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hope Landing, Inc., South Arkansas Arts Center, or St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.youngsfuneralhome.com for the Harper family.