Doris Harper

Doris E. Harper (Grandma Dorie or Dorie Baby) was born on April 7, 1928 in Anaconda, Montana, to Clarence and Ruth Healy. She passed peacefully from our arms into the arms of Jesus on April 4, 2024. 

She was born and spent her youth in Anaconda, Montana. In 1948, Dorie married Frank J. Harper. As the story goes, just before Frank left for World War II, Frank and Dorie went to an evening movie with four other friends. Naturally, the fellas each found a gal to walk to her doorstep after the show. Each couple who walked home together that night later ended up getting married. The six stayed lifelong friends. 

Dorie grew up with her older brother, Bud, and younger sister, Bonnie. After marrying, Dorie and Frank (Harp)  lived in Anaconda and raised their three children, Paul, Debbie, and Greg. In 1968 they moved to Charlott Avenue in Missoula.

Dorie Baby ran the family home, and in her quiet way also ran that Charlott Avenue neighborhood. One of her favorite times recently was dinner and a movie with her grandsons, Joshua and Zachary. She led with an open door, a full table, and in the spirit of friendship and all being welcome. Whether a blood relative, son or daughter, grandchild, husband of more than sixty years, movie companion from the 1940’s, or one of the many who felt like family, the magic and common thread in each relationship was being Dorie Baby’s dear friend. A dear friend, maybe even a best friend, was not a single person to Dorie but a category of people. And who were the dearest? The best? Perhaps those answers she took with her beyond, to remain a mystery. 

Though, I’ll bet if you are reading this, you encountered the distinct warmth of Dorie Baby’s friendship. Perhaps, you're a lucky one who grabbed one of the few and far between conversations alone with her - when Dorie Baby made you feel like you’re the most important person in the world. 

• Dorie was a constant. Steady. Patience. Insight born from her faith and love in Jesus. She created a home base of safety for many friends. From safety, genuine confidence grew in a few generations of young people who stormed the world with great big dreams - ever knowing, succeed or fail, they could always come home to Grandma Dorie’s house, welcomed with love and sound advice, and something sweet baking in the oven.   

So, on the morning of April 4th, a few days before Dorie’s 96th birthday, Charlott Avenue filled with cars. There was not a parking spot in the neighborhood for several blocks. Friends, dear and best, had come to say goodbye - perhaps with the hope of grabbing that one last moment when she might make them feel like the most important person in the world.

Surrounded by loved ones and prayer, and with the hymn Amazing Grace still seemingly lingering in the air, our Dorie Baby peacefully took her final breath.

In her religious faith, she was not loud. She was devout. 

When a priest gave her the last rights, without fear she thanked him for, “preparing the way for where she was headed.” Later adding, “I’d be a heck of a lot more afraid to stay here much longer than I am to go be with Jesus.” 

As our Greer and Harper family processes grief from the profound loss of this amazing woman we remember Ecclesiastes 3:4. We also remember in this season of springtime flowers and greening hillsides, Passover and Easter, a Friday altogether heartbreaking becomes good, because Resurrection Sunday arrives with new life which blooms eternal.

Ecclesiastes 3:4: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance [to Sinatra, Dorie Baby’s favorite.]

Dorie E. Harper was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, her husband of 63 years, her son Paul, and her daughter Linda. She’s survived by her children Deb and Jeff Greer, Greg and Jennifer Harper. 

The greatest joys in her life were her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, and all those who called her Grandma Dorie. 

She’s survived by her grandchildren, Jonathan and Amita Greer, Jason and Emily Greer, Josh Harper, Zachary Harper, and Molly Murphy. Her great-grandchildren: Malakai, Gabriel, Galen, Lainey, Bella, Lucia and Addie. And her many surrogate grandchildren, far too many to name. 

Love always to our best and our dearest Dorie Baby.

There will be a funeral mass on April 30th at 10:30am at St. Francis Church, Missoula. A celebration of her life will be held at the Alpha Omega House, 501 University Ave. on July 13th at 4p-8p.