Gary L. Harp

The celebration of the life of Gary Lee Harp, Sr., beloved son, brother, husband, father, uncle, Daddo, and friend. Born August 18, 1948, in St. Louis, Missouri to McKinley L. Harp and the late Lorraine Scheller Harp. After a 3 ½ year courageous fight with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Gary passed from this life on March 16, 2016. He was surrounded by the love of friends and family that had been by his side throughout this battle.

Gary graduated from M.B. Smiley High School and attended the University of Houston. On June 7, 1968, he married his high school sweetheart, Susan Dillard. He enlisted in the United States Navy, proudly serving his country in Vietnam from 1969 through 1971, during which time he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with one Bronze Star.

Gary was always very active in his church and community. He was a member of the Truth Seekers of First Baptist Church Cleveland. He had a special bond with the members of this group and cherished their friendship immensely. Gary loved the Lord, his family, and his friends, and he made new friends everywhere he went. Gary was never without a conversation starter, and once you were suckered in, there was no getting out. He was always asking questions people never thought to ask, and you knew you were in trouble when he would start a sentence with, “I was just thinking…”

Gary is survived by his loving wife Susan, son Gary Jr. and wife Missy, son David and wife Waynette, precious grandchildren Megan and Cooper, father McKinley, brother Bruce, sisters-in-law and husbands, Ann and Rick Butsch, Charlene and Edward McDonald, Nancy Teague, Diane and David Villman, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews that were very dear to him.