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Bill Harper, 78 year old Woodward resident, died Sunday, July 12, 2020 in Woodward. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, July 17, 2020 in the Billings Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Ed Dowty officiating. Burial will follow in the Elmwood Cemetery.
William Ernest Harper was born on July 31, 1941 in Woodward, Oklahoma to Howard Ernest and Maxine E. (Hodsden) Harper. Bill attended school in Woodward where he played football and graduated from Woodward High School in 1960. He was recruited to play running back for the OU Sooners and Coach Bud Wilkinson. Coach Wilkinson came to Woodward to take Bill and his family out to eat at the Oasis and convince Bill to play for the Sooners. Bill agreed and continued his football career at OU, but injured his shoulder and was unable to continue playing.
He was united in marriage to Judith Anne Olds in the early 1960's and they were blessed with two children: Tamela Lynn and Terri Lynn. They made their home in Woodward and Bill worked for Gold Spot as a Milkman. The family moved to Tulsa and Bill worked for Carnation and later they moved to Houston, Texas in 1978 and Bill worked for Oak Farms Dairy. The family moved to Yukon in 1979 and Bill ran The Stampede restaurant in Oklahoma City. He had numerous bands play at the restaurant while he owned it. In 1983, Bill moved to Houston, Texas where he was involved in the Fiesta Food Stores. In 1985, Bill and his daughters moved back to Woodward and he has remained here since that time. After Bill first came back he worked with Dwight Van Dorn for Sonic before opening Harper Insurance Agency. He worked as an Insurance Agent until his retirement in 2015.
Bill loved OU Football and tried to attend the games when he could. He also enjoyed spending time with his family.
He is survived by his two daughters: Tamela Lynn Semler and Dick Rohla of Chester, Terri Lynn Henson and husband Carlton of Woodward; grandchildren: Wesley Dane Parks, II and Alisha of Oregon, Dalton Shane Parks and Leticia of Oregon, Breanna Nicole Neer of Tomball, Texas; great-grandchildren: Spencer, Bastian, Rowen, and Reid; one sister, Linda Horner and husband Danny of Woodward; other relatives and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother Dick Harper.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Cancer research with the funeral home accepting the contributions.
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