Mary Harper

Obituary for Mary Elizabeth Harper Funeral services for Mary Elizabeth Harper, 93, of Roswell will be held at 2:30 pm Sunday, December 7, 2008 at Anderson-Bethany Chapel. Burial will be at 2:00 pm Monday, December 8, 2008 at Santa Fe National Cemetery. Mary was born September 10, 1915 in Livermore, KY to Richard Shocklee and Lela Stevens. Mary Elizabeth Shocklee Harper passed away in Roswell, NM on December 1, 2008. She lived in Roswell with her oldest daughter, for the last four years due to failing health. She was a long time resident of Hobbs, NM, along with her husband John L. Harper. She was born and raised on a farm in Livermore, KY. After graduating from high school, Mary left behind her family, which had consisted of six other siblings, and moved to Detroit, MI. There she received nurses training and ultimately became certified as an R.N. After receiving her R.N., in Louisville, KY.Mary went on to pursue a career with American Airlines, which at the time required their stewardesses to be registered nurses. She applied for the position with American Airlines and never regretted it. She started flying for them in 1939 and lived all over the country from Chicago, New York City, Burbank, CA, to Forth Worth, TX. Eventually she was promoted to the position of head instructor at the American Airlines Stewardess School in New York, where she trained others. She loved her job and all the travel opportunities that it provided, as well as the life long friends she made. In 1946, Mary resigned her commission with American Airlines in the West Coast while living in Burbank CA., to marry John, whom she met on a DC3 during WW II while she was flying soldiers across country. She and John were married in Glendale, CA, they later moved to Pecos, TX to pursue a life raising a variety of farm products before eventually moving back to Hobbs in 1967. Mary was a nurse at Lea General Hospital, which later became Nor Lea. Mary received great pleasure from attaining her bachelor’s degree in nursing at the age of 57. She continued to work in Hobbs at the hospital until her retirement. After John’s death in 1985 she went back to work as a nurse in Lovington, NM and worked there until she was 84. She was a long time member of the First United Methodist Church and was very active in many other community groups. Mary is survived by her younger sister Ruth Boyken of Louisville, KY, her two daughters, Donna L. Harper of Roswell, NM, Mary Jane Morley and her husband Richard of Chicago, IL, and her son Steven J Harper and his wife Vickie of San Antonio, TX. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren as well as numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to express their great appreciation to Dr. Annette Stoesser who was Mary’s caring friend as well as physician. In addition they would like to show their appreciation to Cory, Faylena, Judith and Cathy, all of whom made Mary’s last years special with their unselfish dedication to her care. Mary was preceded in death by both her parents, her husband, John L. Harper, three brothers; Winford, Samuel and “Boone” Shocklee, two sister; Josephine Shocklee Baird and Lorrine Shocklee. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the American Heart Association. Please share your thoughts and memories with the family in the online register book at andersonbethan y.com Services are under the direction of Anderson-Bethany Funeral Home & Crematory. .

Mary Harper

September 10, 1915 - December 1, 2008