Bonnie Ruth Harper

Bonnie Ruth Harper, 83, went home to be with Jesus May 9, 2024, in Waco, Texas.

A Service of Celebration for Bonnie's life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 23, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home in Waco, Texas. A visitation with family and friends will precede the service and begin at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel.

Bonnie was born May 21, 1940, to T.L. “Ted” and Helen Young in Kilgore, Texas. She grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, was a graduate of C.E. Byrd High School, and went on to attend Northwestern Louisiana University. She was the mother of two boys, one of whom passed away at the age of three.

Bonnie became a Christian at an early age and served the Lord in numerous capacities wherever she lived. While attending Trinity Heights Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, RA’s, and GA’s. She also volunteered her time recording the minutes for business meetings.

Bonnie married James “Jim” Harper III February 2, 1979, and they moved to Houston, Texas. Jim worked in the oil and gas industry, and Bonnie also had a career in the same field, serving as an administrative assistant at the highest level for over a decade. They became active members of Kingwood Baptist Church and later helped establish the Willow Terrace Baptist Church. This was a brand-new church in Kingwood, Texas, at which Bonnie taught a Sunday School class for high school girls. She developed a strong rapport with the girls in her class, which allowed her to become a mother figure, a mentor, and a role model to most if not all of them.

In 2000, Bonnie and Jim retired and moved to Venice, Florida, where she again dedicated herself to supporting her local church. It was at the Venice Golf and Country Club that Bonnie decided that she should learn to play golf. After a year of difficult and frustrating lessons from Jim, she began to play in the women’s golf league where she became an excellent and popular golfer. It was also during this time that their granddaughter, Abby, came to live with them for a year. She attended Venice High School, learned the basics of golf, and kept them both laughing and shaking their heads at the same time.

Bonnie and Jim eventually settled in Waco, Texas, where they attended First Woodway Baptist Church. Bonnie was deeply involved in the church, participating in a weekly prayer group and volunteering in two ministries. The first, "Wednesday Serving Saints," provided and delivered food to shut-ins and families dealing with recent illnesses, also offering prayers for those they served. The second, the "Benevolence Ministry Team," created a welcoming space for bereaved families to relax and visit after funerals, which included decorating, setting up the venue, and providing meals. Bonnie dedicated her life to serving others and sharing the love of Jesus.

Bonnie was talented in so many ways, she was an exceptional cook, she loved gardening and was also an incredible seamstress, but her passion was quilting. She was meticulous in her details and each quilt she made was designed for each specific individual. Bonnie did not make quilts for sale, but with love for family members.

Bonnie loved to travel with her husband Jim, and the pair traveled across the globe on adventure after adventure. Bonnie and Jim included their children and grandchildren in many of their adventures, leaving lasting memories for generations to come.

Bonnie never met a stranger and put a smile on the face of everyone she met. She could always be located by listening for her laughter. Bonnie exemplified what it means to be a wife, mother, grandmother, and even a great-grandmother. She dearly loved her family, and she will be deeply missed.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, Ted, and Helen Young; her younger brother, Bobby Young; and her youngest son, Gary Lee Rasberry.

She is survived by her husband of over 45 years, Jim Harper; her son, Wade Rasberry, and wife, Sherry; stepson, David Harper, and wife, Brandy; stepdaughters, Julie Hill, and husband, Gerald, and Amy Allen, and husband, Court; her older brother, Neil Young; as well as 8 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to First Woodway Baptist Church, 101 N. Ritchie Road, Woodway, Texas 76712 or Trinity Heights Baptist Church, 3820 Old Mooringsport Road, Shreveport, Louisiana 71107.

The family invites you to leave a message or memory on Bonnie’s “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.