Wayne Harper

Wayne E. Harper, 83, of Kewanee, Il. died at 8:15 P.M. Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. He was born April 24, 1930 in Johnson County, Il. the son of Joe Wes and Ruth L. (Lowery) Harper. Wayne grew up in Tunnel Hill, Il. and graduated from Vienna High School in 1947. He attended Southern Illinois University for two years. He moved to Peoria in 1950 where he was employed at Letourneau-Westinghouse. He served in the Army during the Korean War. His ship left Korea for American shores the day the armistice was signed. Wayne married Sally Weigel on May 15, 1954 in Peoria, Il. She preceded him in death on December 5, 2013. He was also preceded in death by his parents. Surviving are two daughters Wynne Johnson of Kewanee and Willa Harper of Kankakee, Il., one son Wesley (Peggy) Harper of Higgins, Tx., six grandchildren, Amber Canfield, Joseph and Jason Harper, Wendy Goodrum, Heidi Alexander, Denise Berlin, fifteen great grandchildren, six great great grandchildren and a sister Ann (Bill) Weinstein of Tunnel Hill. He was a member of the Grace Church of the Nazarene in Kewanee since 1967 where he had served as Treasurer for many years, taught Sunday school and maintained the church building. He was currently a member of the Church board. Wayne enjoyed hunting, rebuilding and repairing old clocks and had served as a Boy Scout Troop leader many years at First Baptist Church. Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, December 21, 2013 at the Grace Church of the Nazarene in Kewanee. Pastor Tammy Shane will officiate. Visitation will be from 5-7 P.M. Friday, December 20, 2013 at the Schueneman-Tumbleson Funeral Home, Kewanee, Il. Further visitation will be from 5-7 P.M. on Sunday, December 22, 2013 at the Bailey Funeral Home in Vienna, Il. Graveside funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. Monday, December 23 in the Reynoldsburg Cemetery where military honors will be accorded by the Beggs-Gurley VFW Post 5222 and the Illinois National Guard Burial Honors detail. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Grace Church of the Nazarene.

Wayne Harper

April 24, 1930 - December 18, 2013