James Ray Harper

JAMES RAY 'JIMMY' HARPER, age 71, formerly of rural Bertrand, died Sunday, September 27, 2020, at the Great River Medical Center in Blytheville, AR.

He was born October 10, 1948, in Randolph County, Ark., one of eleven children to the late Leland Fletcher Harper and Hester Willadean Templeton Harper. He attended Charleston High School and following his graduation in 1966, enlisted in the U.S. Army. Most of his life he lived in Mississippi County where he was a farmer and over the road truck driver.

On March 2, 1973, at the home of George and Carolyn Pazdera, he married LouElla Burton, who preceded him in death January 10, 2011.

Surviving are his daughters, Jancie (Sean) Hall and Jamie (Kenneth) Bailey, seven grandchildren, Alex, Sydney, Peyton, Harper, Bentley, Gunner and Chloe; his brother, Bill Harper; sisters, Linda Bagwell, Patricia Branum, Debbie Stewart, Mary Calhoun and Barbara Jean Yancy; also, a number of nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Leland Edward, Bobby and Ricky Harper and his sister, Eva Corbell.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until service time at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, October 3, 2020, at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

Interment will follow in the Harper Cemetery at Maynard, Arkansas under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com