Florence Ruth HARPER

1928 - 2022

Flo Harper, who lived in Spokane, Washington for the past thirteen years, and was a long-time resident of Twin Falls, Idaho for over fifty years before that, died peacefully in her sleep on February 3, 2022… her 94th birthday. Born in Buhl, Idaho on February 3, 1928, Florence Ruth Smith was the daughter of Arley and Isabella Smith, who were originally from Wright County, Missouri. They returned to their home in Missouri while Flo was a baby. She attended public school in Missouri until the family returned to Buhl in 1943. Flo graduated from Buhl High School in 1945 at the age of fifteen. Flo married John Wayne "Jack" Hardin in 1946. Jack was a school teacher and they lived and worked in a variety of locations in Washington, Missouri, and Texas before returning to Idaho to make their home in Kimberly. They were parents of two sons: John Wesley "Wes" and Jeffrey Steven "Jeff" Hardin. Flo and Jack were later divorced. In 1966, Flo married Edwin Martin "Ed" Harper. They made their home in Twin Falls, Idaho where they operated the E. S. Harper Company, Inc., a family-owned potato business, and later a large farming operation near Jerome, Idaho. Flo brought her bookkeeping and office management skills to the family corporation and was an active business partner with her husband. In 1969 Flo and Ed became parents of a daughter, Megnild Jane "Meg" Harper.  During the 1970s-80s, Flo was active and held leadership positions in several organizations, including the Magic Valley Regional Medical Center (MVRMC) Hospital Auxiliary and Foundation, the Twentieth Century Club, the National Association of Parliamentarians, and the Twin Falls chapter of the International Toastmistress Clubs (ITC). Her skill as a Toastmistress speaker enabled her to compete at the international level in 1982 at the Opera House in Sydney, Australia. Flo competed with twenty-three other Toastmistress winners from throughout the world and placed second. Flo in 1987 became office manager for Coldwell Banker Western Realty in Twin Falls, which merged with Irwin Realty in 2000. Flo continued with the company as a bookkeeper until she retired in September 2008. In 1993, Flo and Ed began a new adventure. They built the Park Avenue Golf Driving Range on the south side of Twin Falls and operated it until 2005. Flo's interests included reading, sewing, gardening, and cooking. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Twin Falls and the Jerome Country Club. After her husband Ed's death in 2007, she moved to Spokane, Washington in 2008 to be close to family. There she joined the Moran United Methodist Church where she taught a series of popular Bible study classes. Flo enjoyed all kinds of music–especially Elvis, gospel, and the Eagles–and was also an avid fan of Gonzaga University men's basketball. Flo was preceded in death by her husband, Ed Harper, her parents, four sisters, two brothers, and one grandson.  She is survived by her children: Wes Hardin (Lorna), Dearborn, MI; Jeff Hardin (Alice), Spokane, WA; and Meg Harper, Spokane, WA; four step-children, ten grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service to celebrate Flo's life is being planned by her family in spring or early summer 2022.