Darlene Viola Harper

Nov. 8, 1925 - Apr. 11, 2017

Date of Service: Apr. 18, 2017

Darlene Harper

OAKLEY – Darlene Viola Harper, 91, passed away Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at Parke View Rehabilitation and Care Center in Burley.

Darlene was born Nov. 8, 1925, in Eureka, Utah; the second child of six born to Leslie and Ella Neilsen Boothe. Darlene loved her brothers and sisters. Each of them still tell stories of what a wonderful sister she always was.

Darlene moved to Burley with her family when she was two years old. She loved going to church, school dances, seminary parties, and the Y-Dell. Darlene worked for JCPenney and was the chief operator for the Burley telephone office. She loved selling Avon to the ladies in the Oakley valley and was often called the “Avon peddler” by her husband, Arnold. To her grandchildren, Darlene was the “Best” cook in the whole world! Each of them had a favorite, whether it was her home-made cookies, bread, pie, or those wonderful Idaho mashed potatoes.

Darlene met and married her lifetime sweetheart and eternal companion Arnold K. Harper, on July 16, 1947, in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. Together, they had four sons, Kennard, Keith, Kent and Dean. Her boys were the joy of her life and she wanted only the very best for each of them.

Darlene is survived by three of her sons, Keith Harper of Durango, Colo., Kent (Bonnie) Harper of Burley, and Dean (Sandra) Harper of Portland, Ore.; former daughter-in-law, Corinne Pomeroy of Ogden, Utah; two brothers, Leslie (Lu) Boothe of Ogden, Utah, and Wayne (Velma) Boothe of Spanish Fork, Utah; two sisters, Carol Moulton, of Othello, Wash., and Maxine Nelson of Vernal, Utah; her sisters-in-law, Caroline, Joanne, Julia, and Carolyn; 13 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her sweetheart, Arnold K. Harper; her oldest son, Kennard Harper; her parents; and her oldest sister.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 18, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Oakley Stake Center, 355 N. Center Ave., in Oakley, with Bishop Doug Pickett officiating. Burial will follow in the Oakley Cemetery.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Monday, April 17, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, preceding the service at the church.

The family would like to thank all of those who helped care for our beloved mother the last years of her life; Dr. James Spackman and the nurses and staff from Safe Haven and the caring staff at Park View Rehabilitation and Care Center.