Obituary of Dorothy Mae Harper

Dorothy Mae Newkirk Harper, 91, a resident of Belfair since 1931, died at Fir Lane Health and Rehabilitation in Shelton on February 17, 2017. Dorothy was born August 6, 1925, in Bremerton, the second of five children, to Marion and Viola Newkirk. After living in Indiana and Illinois for a few years the family made a permanent move to Belfair when Dorothy was six. She attended elementary school in Belfair and during high school was one of the first members of Mary Theler's Girl Scout troop. She graduated as valedictorian of the class of 1941 at South Kitsap Union High School and from the University of Washington College of Pharmacy in 1947. She worked as a pharmacist for two years in Port Orchard and then in 1950 Dorothy opened Belfair Drug, the first drug store in Belfair. She provided an area in the store for the Thurston-Mason Library (now Timberland Regional Library) to use so that books could be available to North Mason residents, and she was the acting librarian until she sold the store. She was honored by the local Friends of the Library group when they chose stanzas from one of her poems to be painted on the wall of the meeting room in the current library building. Dorothy was very active in the community. In 1947 she was a charter member of the Belfair Community Baptist Church and sang in the choir for more than 25 years. She was also a charter member of Twanoh Grange #1118 in 1946 and served in many offices over the next five decades. Introduced by mutual friends, she met Eldon C. "Hank" Harper in December of 1951 at the Belfair Barn Dance. They married on February 24, 1952 at the Masonic Temple in Belfair. Their only child, Rona Louise, was born September 15, 1954. Dorothy sold the drug store in 1958. After recovering from back surgery in 1959 due to an automobile accident, she devoted much time, energy, and enthusiasm to family and community events. She was involved with the Mason County Historical Society, volunteered several years as a 4-H leader, helped with the Mason County Fair, attended Washington State Grange conventions, served on the SKUHS Class of '41 reunion committee, and hosted Fourth of July picnics for many years. She returned to work as a pharmacist in 1971 at the Washington State Veterans' Home in Retsil and continued there until her retirement in 1987. Dorothy and Hank had celebrated 57 years of marriage when he died in August of 2009. Also preceding her in death were her parents; younger brother, William David Newkirk; and great granddaughter, Java Bean Morgan. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Rona and David Schroeder; two granddaughters, Sarah Morgan (husband James) and Emily Schroeder. Surviving brother and sisters are Herman (wife Ann) Newkirk of Florida; Barbara Eklund of Belfair; and Mary Ann (husband Lowell) Gunselman of Oregon. Many nieces and nephews, both biological and honorary, are also included in the family that she loved. Personal importance vanishes, As winter's trackless snow, But shared friendship, love, and joy, Are timeless as the dawn. ~DMH She was the author of two memoirs, "So We Can Go Home" (2012), and "The Drug Store-y" (2016). A memorial service for Dorothy will be held at Belfair Community Church (formerly Belfair Community Baptist Church.) Donations in her name may be made to the North Mason Friends of the Library, PO Box 1023, Belfair, WA 98528; or the Mason County Historical Society, PO Box 1366, Shelton, WA 98584; or Camp Bethel, 347 Kirkpatrick Rd, Hoquiam, WA 98550.