W.R. "Bud" Harper

W.R. "Bud" Harper, 81, passed away March 28, 2012 in Fort Smith. He was born January 6, 1931 in Fort Smith to Raymond and Helen Jones Harper. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in the Korean conflict. He served on the Sebastian County Quorum Court from 1980 to 1983 when he was elected County Judge. He served as County Judge until August 1997, when he resigned to take an appointment as director of the Arkansas Emergency Management under then-Gov. Mike Huckabee. In his retirement he served on the board of Arkansas Tech University. Funeral service will be 10 a.m., Saturday, March 31, 2012, at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Fort Smith under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home. Burial will be in Roselawn Cemetery with military honors. He is survived by his wife Joan; one daughter, Kimberly Jo White and her husband Brad, of Fort Worth, Texas; one son, Dr. Mitchell Harper and his wife Robin, of Fort Smith; one sister, Betty Griggs of Fort Smith; and seven grandchildren, William, Sarah Jo, and John Harper Reynolds, Elizabeth and Chandler Harper, Blake and Sarah Katherine White. He was preceded in death by his Parents, Helen and Raymond Harper, his two sisters, Helen O'Neal and Doris Parker; and his grandson, Jeremy Harper. Visitation will Friday, March 30, 2012, from 5 p.m. to 7 Pp.m. at Edwards Funeral Home. Memorials may be sent to: St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 5401 Free Ferry Rd., Fort Smith, Ark. 72903, or to Arkansas Tech University, 1509 Boulder Ave., Room 210, Russellville, Ark. 72801. Online condolences may be sent to www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.