BETTY JEWEL HARPER

In Loving Memory of Betty Jewel Harper • December 16, 1929 – August 24, 2026

Betty Jewel Harper passed away peacefully on August 24, 2026, with her granddaughter by her side. Born to William and Millie Horn in Arkansas on December 16, 1929, Betty lived a life rich in faith, family, and hard work. In 1942, Betty and her sisters traveled from Russellville, Arkansas to Fresno, California, working in the local fields and orchards while living in old barns. That same year, she married the love of her life, James Vernon Harper. Together, they became successful business owners, operating Tulare County Concrete and Septic Tank Inc. for over 40 years. Following James’s passing in 1992, Betty resiliently continued to run the family business. She also loved tending to her garden alongside James, nurturing both her plants and her family.

Betty was a woman of deep and unshakeable Christian faith. Rather than attending just one church, she loved them all and often visited many different congregations. Everywhere she went, she was well-known and warmly welcomed. She was famous for singing worship songs all day and night, and she cherished every opportunity to pray with and for people. Her undeniable love for her family shone through the quiet times they shared together; she loved sitting out on the back porch snapping green peas with her grandchildren, playing tennis with friends and grandkids at local parks, and going to the lake where she taught her grandchildren how to water ski. She also had a deep passion for adventure, traveling to many different countries, states, and towns throughout her vibrant life. Remarkably, Betty held her pilot’s license and loved flying her family to destinations for go-kart races. Over the years, she grew her passion for aviation—initially flying her 1976 Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee, she later upgraded to a Cessna 400 four-seater plane bearing the tail number N3062F (3062 Foxtrot) and eventually went on to purchase a six-seater aircraft.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, James Vernon Harper; her parents, William and Millie Horn; her daughter, Glenda Allen; her two sons, Gary Harper Sr. and James Harper III; her siblings, Nellie Hoagland, Violet Pruitt, Hubert Horn, Vera Michaelis, Murel Horn, Leland Horn, and James Horn; her grandson, Michael Parr; and her great-granddaughter, Aryale Quinonez.

Betty’s legacy of love survives through her sister, Patricia Gray; her granddaughters, Tina Sunderland (Jim) and Chrissie Harper; her grandsons, Gary Harper Jr. (Jodie) and Danny Allen; her great-grandchildren, Vanidee Quinonez, Ashley Mullins, Branden Harper, and Gary “Boogie” Harper III; and seven cherished great-great-grandchildren.

Services

• Public Viewing: Tuesday, September 8, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Peers-Lorentzen Funeral Home, 132 W. Kern Ave, Tulare, California.

• Graveside Funeral Services: Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the South Tulare Cemetery, 900 E. Kern Ave, Tulare, California.

Services are under the care and direction of Peers-Lorentzen Funeral Home.