"I was born at home on December 13, 1934, the doctor finally came to the house the following day to fill out the birth certificate. I was born and raised on a farm 3 1/2 miles north of Harlingen, Texas. I am the third of five children born to my parents, Raymond C. Harper, an agriculture entrepreneur, and Virginia M. (King) Harper, a homemaker. I have two sisters, Charlotte and Mary; and two brothers, Raymond and Billy.

My early memories were of austere times because of the Great Depression during the 1930's and World War II (1941-1945). There was always enough food but very few sweets. Significant memories during this time was about the enormous effort being made to help the war effort, i.e., buying was stamps and bonds to help fund government needs. The stamps were required to buy gasoline, tires, clothes, and foods like sugar and meat. I remember the opening of the Harlingen AFB and suddenly men in uniform were everywhere. Every Sunday we took several airmen home from church so they could have a home-cooked dinner, which always included southern fried chicken because chicken was not a war regulated food. During this time (before 1946), most of our clothes were hand-me-downs or homemade, shirts and dresses being mostly made from flour sack material, a very common practice. Evenings were spent studying by coal oil lamps or listening to battery powered radios. Heat was provided by coal oil heaters and food was cooked on coal oil stoves. Phones and electricity were not available in rural America. Toys were limited to small metal toys, marbles, yo-yo's, and pewter soldiers. Many evening hours were spent listening to the great programs of radio, i.e., Fiber Magee; Gildersleeve; Duffy's Tavern; Superman, the Invisible Man; The Chuckwagon Gang; The Grand Old Opera and Louisiana Hayride; Old Fashioned Revival Hour; and the Lester Roloff Program.

I started school at James H. Dishman Elementary, Combes, Texas. It was a four room school with grades being taught together, i.e., 1 & 2, 3 & 4, 5 & 6, and one room for Spanish children grades 1 & 2. I then attended Travis Jr. High in Harlingen and remember the creamy ice cream plant across the street and getting into band. I went on to Harlingen High School and enjoyed belonging to Future Farmers of America (FFA), Boy Scouts of America (BSA), and taking band trips with the Concert Band. I completed tenth grade, later passing required testing to obtain a General Education Degree (GED). Through it all I had a fun childhood, doing everything adventuresome and staying in trouble most of the time.

In 1946 and 1947 my father's health went from bad to worse with death following in February of 1948. In late 1946, I frequently went with my dad, often driving when he was too sick to do so, while he managed the citrus fruit nursery farms at Raymondville and Rio Hondo, Texas. He helped develop the Ruby Red Grapefruit. One time I remember getting a traffic ticket for not having a drivers license in 1946 at age eleven. At age twelve, because of my father's poor health, I was given special exception to obtain my license as long as a licensed driver was present in the car.

After my father's death, I felt I had grown up and did pretty much as I pleased. My mother tried to structure my life but I was rebellious. I worked after school and summers at various jobs from 1948 through 1951. On June 28, 1951, because of a manpower shortage and having successfully passed all tests, I started working for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. in Harlingen, Texas.

On July 24, 1951, I married Melba Louise Davis. We met in math class in high school and had dated starting in September 1950 for 9 months going to football games, the movies, and lots of roller-skating. We had committed to marry each other by November 1950. We were married in a small family wedding in Edinberg, Texas by Milton D. Richardson, a county judge. We were too broke for a honeymoon. We then moved to Brownsville, Texas in October 1951. My jobs during this time ranged from frameman to lineman to installer for the telephone company. Our first son, Terry Lawrence, was born at the Brownsville Mercy Hospital on January 15, 1952.

In 1954, I was drafted into the U.S. Army and reported to Fort Bliss, Texas for basic training, (Korean Conflict - Serial # US 54145510). I then reported to advance training in "AJAX" Nike Missile Anti Aircraft training at Ft. Bliss and Red Canyon of White Sands, New Mexico. At El Paso, Melba joined me and we set up house in Iseleta, Texas. In September of 1954 we moved to Waldorf, Maryland with the 75th AA Missile Battalion, Battery A. While in Maryland a second son, John Richard, was born on May 20, 1955 at Bolling, AFB, Washington, D.C..

Upon release from duty, I became a lineman in Corpus Christi, Texas. In 1957, I entered Del Mar College, obtaining an Associate in Arts Degree two years later. I then entered Corpus Christi University with my major being in Math and physics. During this time I moved from lineman to installer. Our third son, George Robert, was born on March 18, 1960 at Christus Spohn Hospital, Corpus Christi, Texas.

In December 1960, I was promoted to facilities engineer at McAllen, Texas. In February 1961, after my introductory training in Corpus Christi, we moved to McAllen. In 1961, I entered Pan American University to continue my studies.

In 1962, we moved again to Alice, Texas, where I was the resident facilities engineer. During this time I became active in civic activities. My involvement in Kiwanis Int'l included a tour as president, a three year assignment to the Builder's Advisory Committee of the City Council, Cub Scout leader, Boy Scout Chairman, Little League coach, and Commander of the Alice Unit of the Texas State Guard.

In 1967, my family was transferred to San Antonio, Texas where I finished my service to Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in December 1988, completing 37 1/2 years. During this time I had many jobs and titles advancing to a 2nd level position responsible for 85 subordinates and about $900,000,000.00 of plant maintenance. Concurrently with my twenty plus years in San Antonio, I completed my undergraduate degree at Trinity University in 1970 being awarded a Batchelor of Arts Degree in math and physics. In 1979, I was involved in graduate studies in Industrial Engineering at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

Besides staying involved in Kiwanis Int'l and Boy Scouts, I also was active in Girl's Slow-Pitch; Served as Councilman and Mayor (1968-1976) for the city of Live Oak, Texas; and Executive Committee for Alamo Area Council of Governments as well as several lesser government committees. At this time we have built and are enjoying our home in Conroe, Texas.

I was raised by Christian parents and grandparents in the Baptist Church and was baptized on March 12, 1944 at Harlingen's 1st Baptist Church. During most of my adult years, I have served in numerous service positions at the various Baptist Churches in which I had membership. These included teaching most age group classes and serving on a number of committees. I count as my more important jobs, that of providing a Christian influence in every part of life, i.e., job, civic involvement, recreation and family life."

John Lawrence Harper