E velyn Marie Conkle Harper, 81, of South Charleston, passed away on Sunday, December 26, 2021, after a long battle with cancer. She was at peace; home and under the blessed care of hospice.

By his grace, God's Christmas gift for Evelyn this year was for her to rejoin her much missed and beloved husband and son.

Ms. Harper, Evelyn, was one of the innocent souls that lived upon this earth. It's hard to condense all that was Evelyn into a short summary. If we open up the book of her life, there would be many landscapes from different times, people and places.

Evelyn did not live a life of luxury. Her life was hard and full of toil, but she never complained…never felt sorry for herself…and never lamented her life's realities. She simply enjoyed the life she had lived and all the ways the world advanced to make life easier. Though it contained some sadness, Evelyn tried to always tell stores of her past with humor and joy. She was grateful for the home she lived in, her ability to promptly pay her bills and for the food that she received.

For many years, every month, Evelyn sent part of her money to "her" Saint Jude's children. She loved those children and wanted all of them to be healed and home with their families. She kept a picture album of "her children" and she would go through it at least three times a week to look at and wonder about her children.

Evelyn was an avid collector of lights…be that from stores or the yard sales that she eagerly awaited every summer. She had lights inside and outside her apartment for every holiday, for every season, and for just the beauty of the lights. It gave her much joy that parents would sometimes come and have their children pose for pictures in front of the windows that she decorated.

Contrarily, Evelyn was also an avid collector of DVD horror movies. She said she had never met a movie that was too scary for her to watch.

Her favorite activity was to walk, and walk, to visit with her friends, or to simply go touring around the neighborhood. She always enjoyed being invited to stop and have coffee with her neighbors to hear what was new in their lives.

When relaxing at home, she worked on her word search books…or in going through her pictures. Evelyn absolutely loved to take pictures!

Evelyn was feisty, good humored, and had sky blue eyes that twinkled in laughter. She was the better half of Yin and Yang…where Evelyn went she brought balm to the souls of others. As simply a way of life she showed by example a way of accepting how the world and its people might try to burden the spirit, but to not allow that burden to be carried.

Although the tiny lady could be a banty rooster, she tried to be more of a conciliatory influence in times of trouble. Grudges were short lived, and forgiveness was easily given.

She held honesty, integrity, good morals and peaceful intent in high esteem. Evelyn proudly voted for her State and Country's representatives based upon these principles.

She took pleasure in God's creatures and loved that she had birds, squirrels, feral cats, and other animals both wild and tame that feared her not. Evelyn was a collector of knickknacks representing the animals she loved and of all things in which she found beauty.

Evelyn was a friend to many and a welcome sight to those she visited on her walks. She walked in grace. She will be missed by all that knew her. Our solace is that although she didn't want to part from us or her beautiful earthly home, Evelyn believed with certainty that her destination in the afterlife was to rejoin those she loved and missed within the glory of a home prepared for her by God.

Evelyn abides there now.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Dorothy Conkle; her husband, James Henry Harper and child, James Henry Harper Jr.; sister Karen Blankenship (Harless Jr.) and child, Richard L. Blankenship; sister Ruby Conkle; two brothers, Fred Jr. and John Conkle; and a grand-niece, Taylor Powell.

Evelyn is survived by sisters, Shirley Parsons, Geraldine Stewart, and Carolyn Stewart; two brothers, Gerald Conkle, and Charles Conkle; niece, Sherry Harper Barker (Michael); nephew Dale Harper (Mary); nephew Larry Blankenship (Lois); nephew James Blankenship (Barb); nieces Anna Dowler (David), Kathy Lemley, and Nancy Holbert (Scott); as well as numerous nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 5, at Brown's Chapel, Dry Ridge, Saint Albans with (Retired) Pastor J. Johnson officiating at her open-air service.

Internment will be beside her beloved husband, James, and will follow the service in West Family Cemetery, Dry Ridge.

Friends may visit one hour prior to the service at Browns Chapel, St. Albans.

Due to several people with compromised immune systems, the family asks that you please wear a mask and maintain a proper social distance. Masks will be provided.

Arrangements are in the care of Keller Funeral Home, Dunbar.