Leroy Harper, 90, a resident of Salisbury, Maryland, passed away on Sunday, October 24, 2021, at Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital in Salisbury.

Leroy was born at Sandy Ridge, West Virginia on May 18, 1931, the son of the late John L. and Mary Jane (Propst) Harper.  He attended Franklin High School, Class of 1949, was a graduate of James Madison University and received a master's degree in education from the University of Virginia.  On August 13, 1955, he married Mary Lee Martin who preceded him in death on January 20, 2018.  In 1959, they moved to Maryland, where Leroy was a teacher and principal at several Montgomery County public schools until his retirement.  After his retirement, he worked in the lawn and garden department of a hardware store.  Like his father, Leroy was a distributor for McNess products selling spices, flavorings and farm products.

In 1965, he and Mary Lee settled on a small farm in Damascus, Maryland, where Leroy was known for his large vegetable garden and blueberry and raspberry patches that he was happy to share with friends and neighbors.  He was active with his children's 4-H and FFA beef cattle and chicken projects, and spent many weeks in the barns at fairs and cattle shows helping them exhibit the animals.  He was a Damascus FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer.  He was an active member of Wesley Grove United Methodist Church, where he was in the Methodist Men's group and served on several committees.  In 2007, he and Mary Lee moved to Salisbury, Maryland to be closer to family.

Leroy enjoyed talking with people - a trip to the store often took twice as long - as he would usually run into a former student or parent, another farmer or someone from church.  It was known in the family that he had a sweet tooth, he never met a cookie, cake, candy, pie or ice cream he didn't like, and he enjoyed sharing his sweets with anyone who came to visit.  Above all, he was devoted to his family, attending activities, helping them with projects and talking regularly with all of them.

Leroy is survived by –

His children –

Daniel and wife, Elizabeth of Harbeson, DE

Duane and his partner, Cathy of Dalzell, SC

Kristina Eberly and husband, William of Salisbury, MD

Five grandsons –

Nathaniel and wife, Rachel of Waynesboro, PA

Nicholas and wife, Jessica of Charlotte, NC

PO1 Matthew and wife, Caroline of Gales Ferry, CT,

Timothy of Boonville, NC,

Anthony of North Chesterfield, VA

Five great-grandchildren –

Kara, Michael, Hudson, Riley and Branson

Two nieces –

Connie Levsen and Debra Hart

A nephew –

Col. (Ret.) Robert I. Sickler, Jr.

A sister-in-law –

Margaret Harper

And a special companion –

Donna West

Along with his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Eugene Harper and Johnnie Carroll Harper, an infant sister, two sisters-in-law, Anna Ruth Petrle and Gladys Sickler, and a brother-in-law, John G. Petrle.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 – 11:00 AM Friday, October 29 at Kimble Funeral Home in Franklin, where a funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Mike Loudermilk officiating.

Interment will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Franklin.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to Pendleton County High School FFA, P. O. Box 40, Franklin, WV 26807.