Leslie Thomas “Tom” Harper, longtime Hermiston resident, died on June 10, 2019 in Hermiston at the age of 96.
He was born on Aug. 31, 1922 in Emporia, Kan. to Leslie Hagar Harper and Barbara Lorraine Burns Harper.
Tom grew up and attended school in Emporia, Kan. When he was 17 years of age the family moved to Hutchinson, Kan., where he graduated from high school. After high school, he entered Hutchinson Junior College. He attended there until the start of World War II. Prior to that, he was a civil engineer with the Kansas Highway Division and also a registered land surveyor in the state of Kansas. At the onset of World War II, every male at the junior college enlisted in the service, as did Tom. However, he had a physical defect that prevented him from enlisting in any of the branches of service. In 1942, he was drafted by the Army and served in the Pacific campaign as a forward observer for the 96th Infantry’s artillery division. During his time of service, he participated in the invasion of Leyte in the Philippine Islands and also the invasion of Okinawa, which was held by Japan. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1946. He went back to Kansas and attended the University of Kansas in Manhattan, Kan. and graduated as an industrial physicist in 1950. He went home to Hutchinson and started working for the city of Hutchinson.
On Jan. 7, 1952 he married Betty J
eane Glover in Hutchinson, Kan. The couple honeymooned in Old Mexico. Tom and Betty had two children, a daughter Nancy Gail and a son Michael Thomas.
In the spring of 1961, Tom and Betty moved their family to Hermiston to build a city. Tom became Hermiston’s first city manager. He served in that capacity for over 25 years. At the time of his retirement in 1987 at the age of 64, he was the only city manager in the state of Oregon to serve one city for a period
longer than 25 years. A plaque and picture hangs in city hall to honor Tom for his service and dedication to the city of Hermiston and its citizens.
During Tom’s tenure as city manager, the city built a library, public works building and wastewater treatment plant, opened a new city hall, and built the public safety building that houses the police and fire departments. Many miles of roads were paved. The city purchased the land where the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center and new fairgrounds stand today; created the Hermiston Cemetery District; and put together a plan for the Hermiston Municipal Airport in which the terminal building was named in his honor. Tom was an original member of the Hermiston Development Corporation, the first non-profit development corporation in the state of Oregon. This group was instrumental in recruiting some of the city’s largest employers: Lamb Weston, Hermiston Foods and the Walmart Distribution Center.
Tom was a member of the Elks, Eagles and Moose lodges, the VFW and the Rotary Club. During retirement Tom enjoyed outdoor sports, hunting, fishing and golfing. He especially enjoyed nearly 40 years of trips to Hawaii with Betty and many of their friends and family.
He is survived by his sister, Barbara E. Owens, age 99 of Springfield, Mo.; daughter, Nancy G. Novak (Clint Fordice) of Hermiston; son, Michael T. Harper (Jake) of Hermiston; a niece, Mauna Loa Strand of Springfield, Mo.; three grandsons, Tony Horn (Jackie) of Kennewick, Wash., Brian Horn (Christine) of Blackstone, Mass. and Nathan Harper of Hermiston; six great grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren.
Tom was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Betty; a beloved nephew, Thomas R. Strand; and son-in-law, H. Tim Novak.
A memorial celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2019 at 11 a.m. at Burns Mortuary Chapel, Hermiston.
A reception and gathering will be at the Hermiston Elks Lodge following the service.
Please share memories of Tom with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
