Sylvia Harp

1939 - 2014

Sylvia Harp
July 18, 1939 - March 29, 2014
Resident of San Jose
Sylvia Pearl Harp, age 75, was born in New York City on July 18, 1939. She spent most of her childhood in Cambria Heights with her parents, Sydney and Lillian Katz. She graduated from New Paltz Teacher's College with a degree in education.
Sylvia was married to her beloved husband, Dennis Harp, who passed away three years ago.  They spent their early years together in Virginia, and soon relocated to California, where Sylvia served as a highly respected and beloved English teacher at the Harker School in San Jose, eventually rising to the position of head of the English Department.
Sylvia was inspired by the poetic abilities of her mother, whose poetry she gathered into a book. A talented poet herself, she then put her own poetry, together with her husband's, into another book.
After her retirement, Sylvia continued to utilize her teaching gifts as an English tutor for students at Harker. When she became ill, she moved to Baltimore, where she could have the ongoing attention of her family. There, her sparkling personality was a delight to both old friends and new.
Memorial Services will be held in Baltimore at Emeritus of Pikesville, at 11am on 4/13/14, as well as in San Jose, CA at a date to be determined.
Sylvia is survived by her sister Audrey Komrad, her brother-in-law Dr. Eugene Komrad, her devoted and beloved niece Cantor Kim Komrad, nephew Dr. Mark Komrad and great-nephew Ilan.