Obituary of Berkley Lloyd Harper

HARPER, Berkley Lloyd

Alison, Laurie and Gwen wish to announce the death of a truly wonderful father, Berkley Lloyd Harper on Wednesday, May 30, 2018. He lived a long productive and happy life having just turned 93. He got his wish to die at home and pain-free. What more could you ask for? He was pre-deceased by the love of his life and partner in everything, Opal, in 2000 and his daughter Cindy in 1993 and son Jon in 2011. He enjoyed many great times with his 11 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren who benefited from his sage advice and his interest in all of their lives. He is survived by his brother, Brian and sister, Lois and her husband, Doug. He also valued the relationships with a large extended family who cared for him deeply, as well as huge circle of friends of all ages, with whom he made every effort to stay in touch. He started off as a pig farmer which led him to be a jack-of-all trades especially a self-taught carpenter. When he sold the farm, he joined the Wentworth County School Board as a board administrator in charge of busing. No one knew the backroads of rural Wentworth like he did, so he was well-suited to planning all the bus routes. When he retired from the board, he started a third career as a professional handyman and carpenter using his ingenuity and skills to design and build a vast array of projects and products. Many family and friends benefited from his handiwork. He continued to play bridge into his nineties and was still able to bid and make a slam with the best of them. He was an extraordinary man, not by way of fame and fortune but by the legacy of his strength of character, his support for family and friends, and an always optimistic and forwarding-thinking view of the world. It was a life well-lived. In lieu of a funeral, there will be a celebration of life for Berkley to follow in the weeks to come.