Keith David Harper

Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Keith David Harper, 67, of Gallipolis Ferry, WV, died Sunday, October 27, 2013, at St. Mary's Medical Center, Huntington, WV. He was born October 10, 1946, in Gallipolis Ferry, a son of the late Iris Cecil Harper and Ruth Beatrice (Gardner) Harper. Keith served his country in the U.S. Army at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. He was a graduate of Point Pleasant High School, an avid guitarist, and member of American Legion Post No. 23 of Point Pleasant. After leaving the military he worked for AEP, where he retired from the Philip Sporn Plant in New Haven, WV after 32 years, and later worked as a maintenance employee for the Mason County Board of Education, and had been a rural mail carrier in the Gallipolis Ferry area. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four brothers, Lawrence, George, John, and Larry "Gene" Harper; one sister, Virginia Ruth Harper; and a nephew, Frankie Harper. Keith is survived by his wife, Mary (Leach) Harper of Gallipolis Ferry; one daughter, Stephanie (Chris) Neal of Bidwell, OH; two grandchildren, Jaden and Brycen Neal of Bidwell; and one brother, Lewis Harper of Pomeroy, OH. Also, surviving are sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law; Kay Harper of Gallipolis Ferry, Worthy (Donna) Leach of Point Pleasant, Brenda (Larry) Rainey of Gallipolis Ferry, Pam (Everett) Rayburn of Point Pleasant, Kathy (David) Selby of Point Pleasant, Frankie Leach of Point Pleasant, and Sandra Sayre of Point Pleasant; and several nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, October 31, 2013, at Wilcoxen Funeral Home in Point Pleasant with Pastor Arnold "Dee" Keith officiating. Burial will follow at the Jordan Cemetery in Gallipolis Ferry, where military graveside rites will be given by the West Virginia Army Honor Guard and American Legion Post No. 23 of Point Pleasant. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, at the funeral home. Serving as pallbearers are, Scott Ferguson, Worthy Leach, Tom Walker, Jordan Armstrong, Larry Rainey, and L.W. Harper. Online condolences may be made at www.wilcoxenfuneralhome.com.