Joseph Harper
Joseph Harper, of Chattanooga, passed away on Sunday, May 14, 2017 in a local health care facility.
Joseph graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta. He was drafted in the U.S. Army and received an honorable discharge at the end of his service time. Joe was called into the ministry, received his Bible education, and pastored three churches. He earned a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate’s degree in religion.
Pastor Harper was preceded in death by his biological mother, Thelma Harper; father, Ernest Harper, Sr.; and stepmother, Eldora Harper; two sisters, Hazel Harper Swan and Josephine Harper Hill; as well as two brothers, Ernest Harper, Jr. and Louis Frank Harper.
Survivors include his devoted wife of 57 years, Elizabeth Harper; three children, Sonya (Dr. Vincent) Williams of New York; Joseph (Becky) Harper of Cleveland, OH, and Jolayne Harper of Chattanooga; grandchildren, Vincent (Cindy), Ashley, Jackson, Jaden, and Jonah; two great-grandchildren, Roman and Ramsee; sisters, Evergene Harper Heard of Sacramento, CA, Barbara Harper Denson, and Vera Harper Warner, both of East Point, GA; brothers, Warren (Margerine) Harper of Ellenwood, GA and Calvin Harper of East Pointe, GA; aunts, Mozelle Harper Hixon and Janie Loise Harper Scales of Lithonia, GA, and Sallie Tate Dewberry of Los Angeles, CA; uncle, Bishop Tate of Port St. Lucie, FL; sisters-in-law, Louise Holmes of Atlanta, GA and Marian Turner of Oxford, AL; several nieces; nephews; cousins; other relatives and friends.
He will lie in state on Monday, May 22, after 12:30 p.m. at Taylor Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 23, at 11:30 a.m. in the chapel with Dr. Vincent Williams, Sr. as the eulogist. Burial will be in Chattanooga National Cemetery.