Obituary of John Harper

<h1>John Harper</h1> JOHN M. “JACK”HARPER Q.C., B.A., LL.B. 1917 – 2008 PHOTO After a long and full life, Jack died on Thursday, July 10, 2008, at St. Mary’s General Hospital. He celebrated his 91st birthday on June 26th. Jack is survived by his beloved wife Mary (Jamieson), to whom he was married to for 65 years. He will be lovingly remembered with pride by his children, Jim and his wife Pauline Harper of Waterloo, Susan and her husband John Palmer of Kitchener and George and his wife Doris Harper of Waterloo. Jack was a great role model to his grandchildren and will be fondly remembered by them - John Harper and his wife Megan, Cynthia and her husband Derick Rose, Stephen Palmer, Jill Wrobel, Tania and her husband Alan Willemsen and Tiffany and her husband Ron van Someren and eight great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Rev. Betty Pugh and her husband Rev. Bill Pugh of Waterloo. He was predeceased by his parents Grace (Mickle) and George H. Harper and sister Helen Durnan. Jack served his country with the Argyll &amp; Sutherland Highlanders of Canada in Canada, The Caribbean, England, France and Holland. He was appointed Honourary Colonel, Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada in 1990. He began his career as a lawyer 1948 when he joined Walter McGibbon to establish the firm of McGibbon &amp; Harper. Through numerous mergers in his law career, Jack eventually retired from Gowlings as General Counsel December 31, 2007. He was the former President and Director of the Waterloo Insurance Company, former Vice-Chair and Director of The Economical Mutual Insurance Company and a former Director and Chair of the Board of Directors of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. He was Past President of the Waterloo Lions Club, K-W Counselling Services, Westmount Golf and Country Club (Honourary Member), Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Kitchener-Waterloo and Area and The Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation. He was a former Chair and member of First United Church, a former member of the Board of Governors of Wilfred Laurier University, was selected as one of the early recipients of the K-W Citizen of the Year Award, named a Paul Harris Fellow and most recently the City of Waterloo named a new library in his honour, the John M. Harper Public Library. Friends are invited to share their memories of Jack with his family at the Erb &amp; Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street South, Waterloo on Sunday, July 13 from 2 to 4 pm and Monday, July 14 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm. The funeral service to celebrate his long and full life will be held at First United Church, King and William Streets in Waterloo on Tuesday, July 15, 2008, at 11 am, with Rev. Rick Hawley officiating. Interment will follow in Parkview Cemetery, Waterloo, followed by a reception. Condolences for the family or donations to First United Church, St. Mary’s General Hospital Foundation or Grand River Hospital Foundation would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy and may be arranged through the funeral home, www.erbgood.com or 519.745.8445. In living memory of Jack, a donation to the Trees for Learning Program will be made by the funeral home.