Wilma Nell Harper

Wilma (Winna) Nell Rudolph Harper was born December 8, 1941 in Los Angeles, California and passed away Thursday, November 24, 2022 in Sulphur Spring, Texas.

               In 1943 her parents moved from California to Branch, Texas where they lived in a 2 room shack.  The house belonged to her grandparents no electricity or indoor plumbing and water was from a well. In 1946 they moved to McKinney, Texas and lived there till 1947 and moved to Garland, Texas.  Winna attended school in Garland and  graduated high school atGarland High School. She went to Eastfield College for courses related to her work. When she retired she worked in her yard she loved flowers and would share with everyone and she started making quilts she loved doing them and she loved to craft projects.

               Winna came from a very humble beginning her family by today’s standards would have been poor.  As children she and her sisters played mud pies with pots and pans from their mothers pantry, they had very few toys and at Christmas there was only one gift for each child. They got one pair of shoes each year and a new dress at Easter and most of her clothes were made by her mom not store bought. It wasn’t until they moved to Garland that things got better for her family.

               Winna worked for her dad during the summer running errands and doing his books and straighten his truck all without pay.  When she was 14 years old she picked cotton for an

Uncle one summer for spending money and it was hard work for anyone especially a teenager. When Winna graduated from high school she went to work for Western Electric Company in Richardson, Texas.  Western Electric named changed to AT&T and then to Lucent Industries in Mesquite, Texas and she work there for 35 years and retired.

               Winna had a hard but very blessed life.  Her children were her  blessings.  When her children were young she decided she wanted a better environment for her boys so she bought a house by Lake Tawakoni in Point, Texas. She traveled an hour and a half to work every day she also worked a second job for extra money for her and her boys. She grew up with a close family ties. She visited with aunts, uncles and cousins at picnics and family gatherings. Both her mom and dad had very large families. Every year the Rudolph family would get together at the cemetery in Frisco, Texas for a big picnic and clean the cemetery.

               Winna had the biggest heart and always helped others at work she always took a child from the angel tree.  She volunteered at local nursing home visiting and taking snacks to the people. She always took food to shut ins and if any one she knew was sick she was there for them with an ear and food. She helped so many people that needed help even when she didn’t have the money to spend.  She never said no to anyone.

               Winna is preceded in death by her father Wilburn Rudolph, mother Geneva Hankey Rudolph, brother Harold Rudolph and great granddaughter Abbigayle North.

               Winna is survived by her sons Scott Wilburn Harper and wife Patricia (Pattie) of Leesburg, Texas and Kendall Rex Harper and wife Melanie of Cumby, Texas. Grandchildren: Heather Jo Harper, Kahle Ryan Harper, Robert Hinsley, Mark Hinsley and wife Jennifer, Jessica Hinsley and Aaron North. Great grandchildren: Kimberly Hinsely, Jaden Scott Harper, James Marcus Hinsley, Tommy Hinsley, Brittney Hinsley, Jeremy Hinsley, Halie Hinsley, Kaitlye Hinsley, Nadlie North and Olivia North. Two sisters: Loretta (Tiny) Surber of Longview Texas, Lois Johnston of College Station, Texas, Maria Rudolph sister in law of Laredo, Texas. Nieces: Monica Williams, Miki Wright, Michelle Stroud, Lacy Banse, Denisse Rudolph and Pamela Rudolph. Nephews: Clay Surber, Keith Surber.

She had a lot of aunts and uncles to numerous to name