Harper Leroy Cole Jr.
Obituary
Harper Leroy Cole Jr., was born in
Pasadena, California, on December 5, 1921, to Harper L. Cole, Sr. and
Maidie (McBride) Cole. God took his faithful servant home on Sunday,
May 17, 2015, at Schowalter Villa, Hesston, Kansas. He was 93.
He met his high school sweetheart, and
the girl he was to spend over 72 years with, during a revival meeting
in Spirit Lake, Idaho, where Harper sang in a boys' Bible band, He
and Pearl Mae Cook were married in Post Falls, Idaho, on August 2,
1942. For the next 38 years, they devoted their lives to sharing the
Gospel to small, often struggling congregations; corporate ministry;
and religious education. Harper and Pearl had two children: Stephen
Leroy and Myrla Dawn.
Harper earned a Bachelors Degree from
Bethany Nazarene College, his Masters Degree from the University of
Oklahoma and his Doctoral Degree from Oklahoma State University. He
served as associate pastor in Bethany, Oklahoma; Kansas City,
Missouri; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He helped establish four
churches in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. For 12 years he was
Assistant to the General Treasurer at the International Church of the
Nazarene Headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. He brought automated
data processing to several religious institutions and credited Helen
Bass and David McReynolds for his success in these endeavors.
In his 20 years as a Christian
educator, Harper was Administrative Assistant to the Business
Manager, and taught a variety of business and church finance courses,
at Southern Nazarene University. He was Executive Vice President at
Trevecca Nazarene University. He retired from Friends University in
Wichita, Kansas, where he served as Academic Dean and Executive Vice
President.
Harper was preceded in death by his
parents and two siblings: a brother, Donnell Joseph Cole; and a
sister, Phyllis Cole Eagan. He is survived by his widow, Pearl Mae
Cole of Hesston, Kansas; his children, Stephen Cole (Cheryl) of
Olathe, Kansas, and his daughter, Myrla Cole Haury (Kent) of
Halstead, Kansas; three grandchildren, Jason "Scott" Person
(Jennifer) of Alexandria, Virginia; Heather Person (Jim Rolston) of
Friendswood, Texas; and Jennifer Schafer (Geoffrey) of Sherwood,
Oregon. He was also survived by six great-grandchildren: Donald
MacLeod and Piper Dawn Rolston, Max and Chloe Shafer, and Elizabeth
Harper and Jason Haury Person.
Harper died as he lived: gently, with
dignity and grace. Services are pending.
1921 - 2015 (93 years)