Bill Harper

Oregon State lost a great Beaver Believer this week with the passing of Bill Harper. Bill passed away peacefully in the early morning hours on Thursday September 10, 2015. He was 89. Bill was born to Wheeler Ross Harper and Bertha Belle West on September 28, 1925 in Garvin, Oklahoma. Bill was fortunate to have 7 brothers and 2 sisters growing up, and he always felt that was something special. Bill graduated from Lincoln High School in Lincoln, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the Army, Special Service Program, serving mostly in the South Pacific area. Upon his discharge in January 1946, he entered Oregon State University where he played basketball and baseball for Slats Gill and Ralph Coleman. Bill was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity. Bill met his future wife, Anne Hayworth, in a biology class where they needed to work with partners. Bill and Anne married on September 3, 1949 in Harrisburg, OR and celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary just before his passing. Bill and Anne left Corvallis upon graduation from Oregon State in 1951 and headed to San Francisco where he played one year of basketball for Stewart Chevrolet in the National Industrial Basketball League. In December 1951, they welcomed their first daughter, Barbara, into the family. In the summer of 1952, Bill, Anne and Barb moved to Roseburg, Oregon where Bill began his teaching and coaching career at Roseburg High School. Along with teaching and being the head basketball coach, Bill was asked to coach the Lockwood Motors American Legion baseball team. In his 10 years with the Legion club, Bill compiled a 417-78 overall record, making 2 World Series appearances and capturing 3 regional and 5 state titles. While living in Roseburg, Bill and Anne welcomed their second daughter, Kimberlee, to the family in February 1959. In 1963, Bill and Anne and the girls headed back to Corvallis as Bill was offered a job at Oregon State University coaching basketball under Paul Valenti and baseball under Ralph Coleman. Besides his coaching responsibilities, Bill was an instructor in the Physical Education Department at Oregon State. It was also during his years at Oregon State, that he began doing some baseball scouting work for the Philadelphia Phillies on a part time basis. In 1970, Bill was offered a full time position as the Northwest Area Scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, where he combed the Pacific Northwest to find the next major league prospect. Bill signed many, many players in his 40 plus years, including Larry Christianson, Ryne Sandburg, Kevin Stocker and Adam Eaton. His most memorable moments in his years with the Phillies were attending two World Series Championships (1980 & 2008) and two National League Championships (1983 & 1993). On a rare day off from scouting, Bill could usually be found at the Corvallis Country Club playing a round of golf, either with Anne or with his “men’s day group”. One of Bill and Anne’s favorite things was Sunday morning breakfast with their friends at the Country Club. Bill is survived by his wife Anne, daughter Barb Locey and husband Steve, daughter Kim Hoover and husband Jim, grandchildren Jenni Copeland (Josh), Brett Locey (Kelly), Kari Van Brunt (Roarke) and Kyle Hoover. Bill was also blessed with 5 great-grandchildren, Deagan, Brayden, Addison, Brady, and Avery. Bill’s older brother Paul Harper (Patty) and many nieces and nephews also survive him. Bill is preceded in death by two sisters and six brothers. Bill always felt he was the luckiest guy around – he spent his entire life doing what he loved and he loved every minute of it. He will be greatly missed. The family would like to thank the staffs of West Hills Assisted Living, Conifer House Memory Care and Benton County Hospice for all of their wonderful care and support. Memorial contributions can be made to the Bill Harper Scholarship Fund, c/o OSU Baseball Dugout Club, 660 SW 26th Street, room 115, Gill Coliseum, Corvallis, OR 97331 or to Benton Hospice Service at 2350 NW Professional Dr. Corvallis, OR 97330. A celebration of life is scheduled for Saturday September 26 at the Corvallis Country Club, 1850 SW Whiteside Drive, at 2:00.

Tributes

Bill Harper

September 28, 1925 - September 10, 2015