LEWIS SHERMAN HARPER

June 11, 1950 - December 3, 2004

L. Sherman Harper of Brownsville entered into eternal rest on Friday, December 3, 2004, at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville from complete body shut down after suffering for almost three weeks in surgical ICU.

Sherman was preceded in death by his father, Robert Sherman Harper of Brownsville (a former Bedford County, Virginia dairy farmer). He is survived by his mother, Elizabeth Howell Harper of Brownsville; a brother, Thomas LeRoy Harper of Bedford, VA; a sister, Helen Harper-Rebok of Brownsville; four nephews, Robert Arnold Harper of Atlanta, GA, Michael LeRoy Harper and James Sherman Harper, both of Bedford, VA and Stephen Forbes Rebok of Brownsville; two nieces, Frances Jayne Harper Morris of Bedford, VA and Kristen Lynn Harper of Ft. Wayne, IN; one step-nephew, Michael Akahi Rebok of Steelton, PA; three grandnephews, one grandniece and his beloved six year old pet, Black Lab-Mastiff Mix ³Chowie².

Lewis Sherman Harper (nicknamed Shermie), was born in Bedford, VA on June 11, 1950. He attended Clarke School for the Deaf in North Hampton, MA from 1952 to 1959, then his parents placed him as a first grader at Virginia's School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton, where he earned the name "Big Bear" as an All American Football star four years straight. On September 25, 2004 "Big Bear" Harper was inducted into the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind Hall of Fame as they observed the 30th anniversary of their stellar No Loss football season. Upon his graduation in 1970, he received an Outstanding Achievement Award from VSDB, which was presented by his mother, Elizabeth Jane Howell (Harper), who had earned this same trophy thirty years earlier. In 1975, Sherman earned a Bachelor of Science Degee in Business Management from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. and he also earned a Masters Degree from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas in the field of Deaf Studies in 1992. After graduating from Gallaudet, Sherman moved with his parents, who followed his sister to Brownsville, Texas. In January of 1976, he began teaching carpentry and building trades to deaf high school students and he worked as a transitional instructor for TRC. He then went to Craig, Colorado where he joined The Richard Hess Construction Company team, designing several ski lodges in the area and then moving to Southwest Colorado, aiding in the reconstruction and designing of the town of Breckenridge, Colorado, and its ski lodge.

In 1987, Sherman began as a part time instructor of Building Trades at the Southwest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf in Big Spring, Texas. Upon his graduation from Lamar University in 1992, he earned a full professorship and continued to teach until 1995, at which time he returned to Brownsville to assist his ailing father. He taught one year at Hanna High School at the Regional School for the Deaf Program. He served as a leader in the deaf community until November 14, 2004 when he entered Valley Baptist Hospital at Brownsville. On Wednesday, November 17, Helen was called away from her duties at UTB/TSC to interpret for an emergency surgery for Sherm as his gall bladder ruptured and it had to be removed immediately. As a result of his already weakened liver condition, his liver died, which caused a myriad of complications and he could not regain his strength.

Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, December 5, 2004, in the Darling-Mouser Funeral Home chapel, 945 Palm Blvd., Brownsville.

Visitation will also be from 9 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, December 6, in the funeral home chapel.

A testimonial service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at Darling-Mouser Funeral Home.

Final services will be under the direction of Tharp Funeral Home of Bedford, Virginia. Interment will be in the Peaks Community Cemetery in Bedford County, Virginia which is adjacent to the Peaks of Otter National Park and just up the hill from the farm on which Sherman was raised.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to your favorite charity or to the Gallaudet University Scholarship Fund or to the Chester Rebok Memorial Scholarship Fund through the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College Development Office.