Howard "Carl" Harper

KINSTON - Howard "Carl" Harper, age 77, went to be with his Lord Thursday, July 5, 2012, at Kitty Askins Hospice Center in Goldsboro, N.C. He was born April 14, 1935, in Lenoir County to the late Kathleen Harper-Warren and Tiney Warren. Carl served 22 years in the U.S. Navy retiring in 1973. He served in Korea and four tours of Vietnam. He served with the Mobile Riverine Force (Task Force 117) and is a plank owner of the USS Okinawa (LPH-3) which he was aboard during the Cuban missile crisis. He held many jobs after retiring from the Navy, but nothing compared to it, except caring and cooking for his family and supporting his wife in her career. He is preceded in death by his mother and father, his beloved wife of 48 years, Elizabeth Ann Murphy-Harper and son, Howard Bennett Harper. He is survived by his loving wife, Rachel W. Harper of the home; son Micheal Cale Harper and wife, Dawn Suzanne Minshew-Harper of La Grange; daughter Elizabeth Hope Harper-Jones and husband Ralph Carroll Jones Jr., of Fort Knox, Ky.; sister Rose Jones and husband Billy Jones, of Kinston; five grandchildren, Kurtis Allen Jones "Big Guy", Murphy Grayson Jones "Little Man", Nathan Minshew, Nicholas Stroud and TJ Dusseault; many nieces and nephews and other loving family. The family will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. on Sunday evening, July 8, 2012, at Garner Funeral Home and other times at 101 Darrel Road, LaGrange. A private family service will be held later. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his memory to Kitty Askins Hospice Center, P.O. Box 88, Goldsboro NC 27533. Arrangements are by Garner Funeral Home. Sign the guest book at kinston.com. (Paid obituary)