Theresa F. Harper

Theresa Francine Harper (née Lipka), born January 10, 1943, passed away November 13, 2020. Wife of Earl Peter Harper. Mother of Kevin C. (Shannon) and the late Glenn P. (passed July 27, 2012). Grandmother of Corey J., Kevin T., and Brendan T. Great grandmother of Jordan, Ryder and Axel. Daughter of Opal M. Lipka (née Glovak) and Stanley A. Lipka. Theresa attended the University of Detroit and Detroit Conservatory of Music with Secretarial Science, Business Education, and Music majors, graduating in 1963. She married Lt. Earl P. Harper, USAF on August 29, 1964, and lived in France, where Earl was stationed until December of 1965. Theresa taught piano to several eager, award-winning students of all ages and never felt that she was working while teaching. It was her love to share music with disabled students as well as those especially gifted. Theresa was a member of the Piano Teacher’s Guild and performed several solos and duets at Orchestra Hall, Varner Hall, the Edsel, and the Eleanor Ford House, The Macomb Center for the Performing Arts, the Steinway Gallery and the Musicians’ League. Theresa also enjoyed ballroom dancing at the International Ballroom Dance studios of Arthur Murray and was awarded medals at several competitions at all levels of excellence held at Cobo Hall, as well as other venues throughout the state of Michigan. Theresa enjoyed traveling with Earl throughout the United States and beginning in 1984 took one or two cruises most years to either various parts of the Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe, the Holy Lands, Australia, China, Korea, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, South America, Japan, Croatia, Scandinavia, Russia, the Danube River and its major cities, or other parts of the globe. Visitation will take place on Wednesday, November 18th from 3:00 – 8:00pm at Wm. Sullivan & Son Funeral Home, 8459 Hall Rd., Utica (3 blocks east of Van Dyke). In state Thursday 9:30am until Funeral Mass at 10:00am at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 44633 Utica Rd., Utica. Entombment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township. Sometime next year there will also be a memorial service with reception luncheon to follow for those who would prefer to pay their respects then, when the Covid-19 pandemic has subsided. Share a memory at www.SullivanFuneralDirectors.com.

Theresa F. Harper

January 10, 1943 - November 13, 2020