1906 Sunshine Peak Drive; Loveland, CO 80538 - JAMES S. HARPER (JIM S. HARPER)

February 11, 1940 - April 23, 2026

Jim Harper was born to Minnie Scheu Harper and Arlie B. Harper February 11, 1940 - the seventh child in a series of eight - on the Scheu family farm in Sibley, Iowa. Times were hard, and the farm could not support the growing family. When Jim was around two years old, Arlie found work at the Hastings Munitions Depot where housing was provided in Spencer Park (government housing project). Jim's two eldest brothers (Marlin and Merle) enlisted in the Navy and the rest of the family, which now included Jim's youngest sister Dianne, moved to Hastings (NE).

Jim attended Spencer Park Elementary (where Minnie worked as a cook in the school cafeteria), and ultimately graduated from Hastings High School, Class of 1958 - which has proudly been proclaimed (by the 1958 graduates) the best class in the history of the school thus far. (See scholarship gift donations link below.). Jim played in brass section of the Hastings High School band, but the need to work denied participation in other activities. He had mixed feelings about being the local newspaper "boy" but enjoyed being a "sacker" and "stocker" at the local Pigley Wigley grocery store - and was able to buy his first car for $37 from one of the store's customers.

When Jim graduated from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After boot camp, Jim chose to specialize in Navy Intelligence (he always joked that was an oxymoron) and was ultimately stationed in Turkey, listening into "chatter" while positioned in the Black Sea area. His other joke was that "if I ever told you what I heard, I'd have to kill you."

While in the Navy, Jim obtained college credits through the long-distance program offered by the University of Maryland, and when his four years in the Navy were completed in 1962, he enrolled at the University of Nebraska (Lincoln, NE), matriculating in as a Sophomore. One night in April 1964 he and fellow Hastings friend Gerald Bunting headed to the college bar hangout, the Diamond Bar and Grill - known affectionately by the students as the "DB&G. It was there he met his future wife, Jenise Burmood, sitting in a booth with another Hastings-ite Roger Harper (no relation). Roger asked Jenise to line Jim up with one of her friends. First was Bethine Spohnheimer - but no chemistry. Second was Sami Shull - good chemistry but Sami ultimately chose another because Jim was too slow to ask her for a second date.

Jenise and Jim had become friends and started dating after Sami was otherwise attached. They developed a serious relationship which was interrupted by Jenise's first job out of college, a teaching position at Santa Ana Valley High School in Santa Ana, CA. The long-distance courtship resulted in an engagement at Easter and marriage on July 31, 1965. Because of Jenise's teaching position, the couple began their marriage in Orange County, CA, and Jim enrolled at California State College, Fullerton (now University of California, Fullerton), for his senior year. (His heart, however, remained with the University of Nebraska and he was a Cornhusker football fan to the day he passed.)

On November 26, 1970, the couple welcomed their first child, Darren James, to their home now located in Vancouver, WA, where Jim worked with Container Corporation of America - his first place of employment following college graduation. Darren was born on his mother's birthday, and also Thanksgiving Day (Jenise was also born on Thanksgiving Day 28 years prior). The young family moved to Oklahoma City, OK, in 1971, where Jim worked in Marketing for Permacel, the industrial tape division of Johnson & Johnson. The couple's second child, Kirstin Suzanne, was born July 19, 1973, in Oklahoma.

Jim and Jenise had "honeymooned" in Colorado and always dreamed of moving there. When Kirstin was close to one-year-old, Jim was hired by Mine and Smelter, a mining supply firm, based in Denver. The family's first Colorado home was in Aurora - until Evergreen was discovered (a picturesque foothills community located just west of Denver at 7,800 - 8,000 ft. elevation. Jim and Jenise designed a home to be built in the Evergreen Meadows area on Tim Tam Trail (all streets were named after Kentucky Derby winners). While here Jim pursued his dream of owning his own company, establishing a manufacturer's representative firm focusing solely on the mining industry so prevalent in Colorado (Resource Process Systems).

The Harpers spent ten years on Tim Tam Trail, then moved to a new home on Mesa Drive (still in Evergreen). The mining industry was hit hard in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Jim diversified his focus with a NW firm that focused on food processing and wood/aggregate processing. Son Darren graduated from Evergreen High School in 1989, followed by Kirstin's graduation in 1991. In Summer 1991 Jim and Jenise moved to Portland, OR, where Jim was closer to the parent company headquarters. However, when Darren's daughter Isabella Anais was born in October 1993, the fledgling grandparents chose to move back to Colorado, where Jim established a new representative company, J. Harper & Associates, Inc. It was highly diversified and proved to be a very successful venture. A second grandchild, Rowan Alexander, was born to Darren and his wife Angela (DelSanter) on November 24, 2003.

During these years, recreation included camping, fishing, back-packing, boating. Jim earned kudos for trekking down into the Grand Canyon to the river and extreme cross-country skiing the Colorado mountains. He also enjoyed down-hill skiing, bicycling, golfing as he led a physically active life. Outings were either with family (Darren and Kirstin grew up backpacking with their Dad), or with other men friends who enjoyed the Great Outdoors as much as he did.

Jim and Jenise remained in Colorado until Jim's retirement at age 70, February 11, 2010. He sold the company to an associate and became a consultant for firms needing representation training. The Harpers sold their Colorado home, bought a motor home, and began a nine-year journey as full-time RVers. Their journey took them to all the western states, wintering in SoCal, Spring and Fall in Colorado, Summers in Oregon and Washington. The couple also loved to cruise, and experienced destinations ranging from Australia/New Zealand to the British Isles to the Baltic and the Mediterranean. Jim's final cruises celebrated he and Jenise's 60th wedding anniversary (early celebration September 2024 to Alaska with daughter Kirstin and her partner Michael, and late celebration September 2025 to the Caribbean - just Jim and Jenise).

Selling their motor home in 2018, Jim and Jenise bought a home in Port Ludlow, WA - one of their favorite areas during their travels. Jim had experienced prostate cancer in 2014, went through 44 radiation treatments, but the cancer returned in 2019. He also experienced Squamous cell skin cancer in 2019 (surgically treated). Even though they loved living in the NW, it was time to return home to Colorado and family, where they purchased a townhome in Loveland with a lovely lake view. Medical issues continued for Jim - A-fib, side effects of the prostate radiation, additional skin cancer surgery.

A fall in March 2026 resulted in scans that showed Jim's lungs were riddled with cancer. Another scan in April showed the cancer was also pervasive in his bones. Jim's oncologist felt the squamous cell skin cancers had metastasized rapidly into the other areas of his body, and was extremely wide-spread and fast-growing. He entered Hospice care April 22, passing through the threshold the evening of April 23 in his home, held close in the loving embrace of his wife, son and daughter.

Jim is survived by his wife Jenise Burmood Harper, his son Darren James Harper, his daughter Kirstin Suzanne Harper (aka Asiana). He is also survived by his granddaughter Isabella Anais Harper, his grandson Rowan Alexander Harper, and his daughter-in-law Angela DelSanter. Jim is the last progeny of Minnie and Arlie Harper to pass on. He is preceded in death by his parents (he died on his mother's birthdate), his brothers Marlin and Merle, and his sisters: Virginia, Lois, Doris, Arliss and Dianne.

Jim brought joy to all who knew and loved him. His beautiful spirit lives on, as do the wonderful memories he created throughout his 86 years with family and friends. He will be interred at Ft. Logan with military honors.

Donations in Jim's memory may be made to:

Stepping Stone Support Center - a non-profit program that aids disabled men and women, providing social events, community integration, work opportunities, counseling services (Jim's son Darren works with this organization). Make your checks payable to The Stone Collective, note in honor of Jim Harper, and mail to The Stone Collective, 5894 S. Zang St., Littleton, CO 80127.

Class of '58 Scholarship Fund - Make your check payable to "Class of '58 Scholarship Fund" and note in memory of Jim Harper. Send to Hastings Public Schools Foundation, Attn: Chris Schubel; 1515 West 8th Street, Hastings, NE 68901.

Cards may be mailed to Jenise Harper, 1906 Sunshine Peak Drive, Loveland, CO 80538.