Beverly D. Harper

1933 - 2025

BEVERLY D HARPER, 91

1933 – 2025

Beverly Harper, lifelong Taft resident, passed away in her Taft home on March 28, 2025 at the age of 91.

Beverly was born in 1933 to Jennings E. Muir, Sr. and Beulah D. Muir, their youngest child and only daughter. She graduated from Taft Union High School in1951, then attended Taft College and later transferred to UC Santa Barbara as a Kindergarten-Primary education major.

While still in high school, Beverly met her future husband Vincent Harper through her oldest brother. In 1955 she and Vincent were married at the Taft United Methodist Church, where she had been a member since the age of 9. She graduate with honors from UCSB in 1956 and began teaching in Taft later that year. She took great pride in setting her Kindergarten and first grade students up for success in learning and life.

Beverly paused her career to start a family with Vincent. They had three children, Susan, Scott and Judy, and Beverly was very involved with all of their many activities. She also volunteered many years at the Taft library, Jobs Daughters, Delta Kappa Gamma, and as her church choir director.

Some of Beverly's many interests were family vacations, cooking, baking, sewing and stained glass art, Bunco, gardening, classic movie musicals, puzzles, and reading tons of books.

Besides the many dear friends made and hundreds of students taught throughout her 30 year teaching career, the most important thing to Beverly was family. Marrying Vincent, raising her children and being a Grandma and Great-Grandma were her greatest accomplishments in life.

Beverly is survived by her brother James D. Muir of Pennsylvania; daughter Susan Sawyer (Steve) of Klamath Falls, Oregon; son Scott of Taft; daughter Judy Chaidez (Chris) of Bakersfield; grandchildren Jennifer Diaz (Alven), Heather Saiz (Isaac) and Vincent Harper; five great-grandchildren: James and Elliana Saiz; Camila, Evelyn and Lucia Diaz, and several nieces and nephews. She loved and was loved very much by all of them. Preceding Beverly in death were her parents Jennings and Beulah Muir, brother Jennings 'Skip' Muir Jr., her beloved husband Vincent, grandson Jacob Chaidez and her spoiled cats Benny and Sammie.

Graveside services are planned at Westside District Cemetery in Taft on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 11am.

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