Galen DeWitt Harper

On Thursday, January 19, 2023, Galen DeWitt Harper, a beloved husband, father, stepfather, and grandfather passed away.  He was seventy-five.  Born to Ollien Harper and Lois Harper ‘nee Crenshaw in Cairo, Illinois on January 2, 1948.

Galen graduated from Charleston High School in Charleston, MO in 1965 and studied at Southeast Missouri State University.

He was previously married to Claudia Anna Caldwell in 1967.   He currently is survived by his wife and best friend Sherry Lee Harper ‘nee Williams of Columbia, MO.  They were “Two Peas in a Pod” and did everything together, where one was so was the other.  He enjoyed watching Missouri Tigers and Kansas City Chiefs football. In his earlier years he was a Deputy Sheriff in Scott County and enjoyed being a cowboy and rodeoing at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo.  He enjoyed eating Mexican food, margaritas and drinking a cold beer.  He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, holidays, sports, children, and grandchildren.

He had made his career working for Fabick Caterpillar for 47 years.  He had worked himself up as a parts manager in Sikeston, Mo with the last 17 years in Columbia, MO.

He is survived by 3 daughters Lynne (Jim) Gipson of Sikeston, Mo; Claudia (Joey) Little of Clever, MO; Rebecca (Larry) Standridge of Sikeston, Mo; stepdaughter Ereka Cook Copeland (Craig) of Columbia, Mo and stepson Repps Goodson of Springfield, MO.  There are 11 grandchildren that call him “Papa Galen”; Katey (Justin) Wibbenmeyer, Hunter (Madison) Gipson, Dawson Little, Harper (Will) Boswell, Wyatt Standridge, Conner Cook, Lauren Cook, Andrew Copeland, Olivia Copeland, Drake Goodson and Tinsley A Goodson.  He is also a great-grandfather to Lane Wibbenmeyer, Kyler Wibbenmeyer and Aiden Loza-Cook.  

He is also survived by his sisters Martha Harper Dillon of Daytona, Florida; Sharon Harper Loomis of Bella Vista, Arkansas; Dixie Harper Corrigan of Lakeland, Florida and brother Charles Harper of Paragould, Arkansas.
Galen was preceded in death by his parents Ollien and Lois Harper, sisters Annette, Frances, Margaret, and his stepson Derek Cook.

A celebration of life will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 28, 2023, at Bach-Yager Funeral Chapel with the family greeting friends from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Following the service Galen will be laid to rest in the Columbia Cemetery. 

In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo, P.O. Box 5 Sikeston, MO 63801.

Bach-Yager Funeral Chapel is honored to serve the Harper Family. 

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