David L. Harper

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Brief Biography

Full Name: David Law Harper

Born: 11-26-1951

Died:

Parents: Mitch & Ellen Harper

Siblings: Mike, Stephen & Diane

Birthplace: Evanston, IL

Spouse: Elizabeth B. Harper

Children: Stephanie & Brandon

Grandchildren: Harlow Anne Stefanik & Bennet Law Stefanik

 Full Biography

Early Life

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Growing up in Northfield from 1951 to 1962 recalls many happy times. Playing with friends & neighbors and also with Mike, Stephen & Diane.And of course Mom & Dad. We had a small tractor used for cutting the large lawn, sweeping up leaves to burn & for pulling wagons. Northfield had a bowling alley. Clarkson’s summer day camp was great. Dad put up a rope between two trees in the front yard with a pulley so we could traverse between the trees. It was an early zip line. We would put leaves under the rope and light them on fire so we would swing over the fire ! Mike, Stephen & I would ride our bikes to Glen View Club in the summer to swim and consume many “black cows” aka root beer floats. Our extended family consisting of both sides of grandfathers, grandmothers, aunt/uncles and cousins all lived locally. Thanksgiving at grandfather Coales was always a special time. Lake Geneva provokes many memories of grandfather & grandmother Harper’s house known as Duck Island. Uncle Kenney would take us water skiing behind a classic wood inboard boat and in the winter, we’d go ice boating. Uncle Ken was like an older brother who also took us to Riverview Amusement Park in north Chicago. Mike also took us there as well.

Education

Written by David L. Harper

-Sunset Ridge School in Northfield from kindergarten to the middle of fourth grade

-Greeley School for the 2nd half of fourth grade & fifth grade in Winnetka

-Skokie Junior High school 6th thru 8th grade

-New Trier East High School from 1965 to 1969

-University of New Mexico 1969 to 1970

-University of Colorado 1971 to 1972

Military Career

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I was in the second draft lottery when the student deferment was revoked, but fortunately I was not called to serve in Viet Nam.

Marriage

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Married Maria Christina Alvarez 1973 to 1975. We met at the First National Bank & Trust Company in Evanston. We lived in an apartment in Evanston. My father-in-law Dr. Guarionez Alvarez was my & Elizabeth’s children’s pediatrician ! Dr. Alvarez took over my Winnetka pediatrician’s practice (Dr. McGuigan). The Alvarez family had escaped Cuba before Fidel took over with only the clothes on their back.

Elizabeth Anne Baldwin and I also met at the First National Bank & Trust Company of Evanston in 1975 when she relocated from her family’s home in Kankakee. Elizabeth had the promise of never dating any co-workers but that obviously changed ! I distinctly remember the first time I saw her at the bank after she was hired. She was truly striking & with great legs ! Yet, my observation was that she was older than me & wouldn’t be interested due to the age difference (5 plus years) and pending divorce. from Maria. Needless to say, we were married June 1977. We had a small service at the Parish House in Winnetka with Elizabeth’s brother, Chuck, & his wife, Rica & Mike & Nita. A dinner followed at Glen View Club with them, Mom & Dad and Diane & her boyfriend, Tim Black. We were married June 17, 1977 and held a celebration event months afterward at our new house in Wilmette.

Family

Written by David L. Harper

Stephanie YOB: 1982

Married Cullan Stefanik 2011

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Brandon YOB: 1987

Married Tessa McLean 2016

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Grandchildren: Harlow Ann Stefanik YOB 2013 & Bennett Law Stefanik YOB 2019

Adulthood

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I lived in our garage apartment on Sheridan Road briefly until I moved to an Evanston apartment in 1972 when I worked at the First National Bank & Trust of Evanston and married Maria Alvarez. When that relationship ended, I moved to my parent’s house in Winnetka on Rosewood. When Elizabeth & I were married in 1977, we bought our first house on Amherst Lane in Wilmette where Stephanie was born. We were there until Spring of 1985 when we moved to Avon Ave. in Northfield where Brandon was born. We downsized in the Fall of 2017 to a townhome in Northfield.

Career

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My first job at the age of 15 was working in Wilmette Harbor as a "dingey boy" who took boat owners to & from their boats & also as a gas attendant during the early Spring to early Fall. It was probably my most enjoyable job. My worst job being an entrepenuer was cleaning up private beachs from the plague of dead alewive fish that rolled ashore and stank terribly as they decayed along with awful maggots under the hot summer sun. I put an ad in the local papers saying “can you stand. the stench ? Alewife clean up service. Call…" . Mike worked with me and we dug a long trench, raked up the truy gross fish & then buried them. I believe we charged $10 each per hour. We wore boots, cut off shorts, shades and bandanas as masks ! I worked at the Harper Company one summer.

I worked for many banks over about 40 years all in the North Shore suburbs so I never had to commute to the city.

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