Birth Date: 11/18/1938
Deceased Date: 10/19/2022
Smithfield – James B. “Red” Harper, age 83, went to his heavenly home on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. Red was born on November 18, 1938 in Johnston County to the late Burtchel A. and Emma Spence Harper.
Red’s first job was delivering groceries on his bicycle, and later went door to door as a salesman in the 1960’s, and then went on to own his own shoe store and Christmas tree lot before opening Harper’s Flea Market, which he ran for forty years. He was a member of the gospel group “The Harper Family Singers” as well as a DJ for WBZB in Selma.
He is survived by his wife, Lupe Harper; sons, Bruce Harper and wife, Tonya of Benson, Scott Harper and wife, Cynthia of Clayton, Timmy Harper and wife, Katie of Angier, Michael Harper and wife, Kimberly of Benson, Greg Harper and wife, Rose of Four Oaks, Fernando Rosas and wife, Berenice of Smithfield; daughter-in-law, Carol Harper of Selma; sisters, Frankie Barbour of Clayton, Martha Gilmore of Smithfield; brother, Johnny Harper of Archer Lodge; 27 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren.
In addition to his father and mother, he is also preceded in death by his son, Tommy Harper; sisters, Geraldine Harper, Aielene Holland, and Mary Evans.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 2:00pm at Temple Baptist Church in Selma followed by the interment at Pinecrest Memorial Park in Clayton.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mclaurinatpinecrest.com for the Harper family.
Arrangements are with McLaurin Funeral Home, Clayton.
