Douglas Asa Harper

1931 - 2022

Douglas Asa Harper
November 28, 1931 - July 24, 2022
Lexington, Kentucky -
Douglas Asa Harper was born in Havilandsville, Harrison County, Kentucky, on 28 Nov 1931, the only child of Joseph Tillman and Gladys Mildred Hall Harper. He attended school at Sunrise and Oddville, KY and graduated in May 1950. In June 1954 he graduated from the University of Kentucky Commerce College with a BS degree and a commission in the United States Air Force.
In January 1955 he entered active duty with the Air Force and graduated as a pilot at Webb AFB, TX. He was trained to be an intercept director for the air defense of the United States and was involved in Air Defense for his whole career.
He had assignments in Washington, Labrador, Wisconsin, California, Okinawa, Colorado, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Iceland, Florida and Mississippi. In Iceland he held his first command assignment as commander of a radar squadron which was still in the Air Defense Mission of the Air Force. He next took command of the Weapons Controller School at Tyndall AFB, Panama City, FL and later moved to Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS, as Commander of a Training Group where he retired with the rank of Colonel with over 23 years of service. In his remote assignments he took up needlepoint and completed countless pieces of needlepoint with many from his own designs.
Col Harper lived in Biloxi, MS after retirement from the Air Force for a total of 35 years. After Katrina's destruction he sold his home and moved back to Lexington in his native state of Kentucky.
His travels generally lead him to research facilities around the country to further his knowledge of his ancestry. However he enjoyed cruises for the past few years, particularly on the Holland American Line. There have been 76 cruises and land tours. Visits have been to Costa Rica, Mexico, Manchu Picchu, Peru, Egypt, China/Tibet, Galapagos Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Greece and Greek Isles, Turkey, Italy, Antarctica, Croatia, Puerto Rico, Tunisia, Alaska, Brazil, Argentina. His travels took him to all seven continents.
He was a Life Member of the Kentucky Genealogical Society; Kentucky Historical Society; Filson Historical Society; Sons of the American Revolution; University of Kentucky Alumni; Air Force Association; American Legion First Flight Society; Military Order of World Wars; Military Officers Association of America; National Order of Blue & Gray. Member: National Genealogical Soc.; Kentucky Colonels; Sons of Union Veterans Civil War; Continental Society Sons of Indian Wars; Friends of SAR Library; Sons of the Revolution; National Archives; Smithsonian Institute; St. Luke UMC; Kentucky Society SAR; First Families of Kentucky and a Charter Member: Gulf Coast Chapter NSSAR; Indiana Genealogical Society; Pendleton Co. Historical & Genealogical Society.; World War II Museum.
Colonel Harper died on 24 July 2022.
Colonel Harper will be buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Falmouth, KY beside his parents. At his request, all arrangements are private to be held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Kentucky United Methodist Children's Home: 1115 Ashgrove Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356, http://KyUMH.org/
Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth, is caring for the family. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.woodheadfuneralhome.com