Richard Harper Obituary

Richard C. Harper
1931-2025
Richard Conant Harper (1931 - 2025) died peacefully in Stamford, CT on January 23, 2025 surrounded by family, after a brief illness. He was born in Bridgeport, CT raised in Fairfield, CT and he settled into his Stamford, CT home 61 years ago, where he brought up his family. He developed strong ties to his community, partly due to his longevity, but also a result of his personality.
He never shed the values of gratitude, kindness and concern for others, no doubt influenced by having spent his formative years during the Great Depression. He combined his concern for others with his own industriousness and a self-reliant ethic. His ties to his neighborhood stayed strong through his last few weeks when he had a steady stream of visitors.
He was a familiar figure around town, having worked in the local public school system for decades. Running errands with him often meant stopping to chat with former students or colleagues, who knew him as "Dr. Harper" or "Dick." With a sincere interest in the well-being of whomever crossed his path, he unfailingly projected an optimistic outlook. He always had a kind word, and a sharp memory for names, even into his 90s. The breadth of his knowledge, around history or sports, was a marvel to the younger generation.
He was a product of the Fairfield, CT public schools, where his father Alanson Harper taught for five decades. His mother, Frances Harper, worked as an accountant. He made lifelong friends during his undergraduate studies at Oberlin (BA), and then prepared for his teaching career with graduate degrees at Yale (MA) and Columbia (Ed.D).
His college roommate introduced him to his future wife, Wende Harper. They were married in Cambridge, MA in 1957 following the completion of her studies at Stanford (BA) and Harvard (MA). She taught English as a Second Language in Stamford K-6 from 1974-2001. He was predeceased by Wende (2020).
After a stint in the Army at the end of the Korean War (1954-1956), he took a job at Darien High School where he taught history and eventually ran the Social Studies department. He kept busy after class and was the Coach of the Men's Tennis Team. Late to the sport himself, he never took credit for the team's success and was quick to share that Darien had skilled players.
After almost two decades at Darien High, he went on to be the Coordinator of Social Studies and Language Arts for the Stamford Public Schools (K-12 grades). He then became Director of the School of Education at the University of Bridgeport, where he prepared the next generation of teachers. Upon his retirement from the School of Education after 20 years of service, he and his wife established the Richard C. Harper Scholarship Fund to assist student teachers to become certified public school teachers.
He was a fine athlete himself, having run track in high school, and was an avid skier until late in life. He even built the family a house in the woods in Plymouth, Vermont so his family could ski in the winter, and spend summers at Lake Ninevah. Aided by library books, and with the energy of two adventurous Darien High School students who didn't otherwise have a better summer job opportunity, the three of them stayed in tents during the summer of 1968 until they raised the roof on a house that stands 56 years later.
He was involved with the Stamford Historical Society, turning a yellow school bus into a red, white and blue Bicentennial museum in 1976. He enthusiastically ran History Day for several decades. He was active in the Senior Men's Association of Stamford. A leader in his book group in his 90's, he left behind in his office a six-foot high stack of books that he finished in recent years. His preparation reflected his past; he read some passages multiple times and prepared himself with notes and discussions with family members. He walked regularly up until late last year, sometimes twice a day, to the end of the street and back. In addition to providing physical activity, his daily routine provided a much needed social outlet as he often caught up with neighbors and friends along the way.
He was father of four, grandfather to eight and great-grandfather to four. In his later years, he was a regular at any gathering involving a member of his extended family and was always a welcome guest. When he stopped driving last year, he took up Amtrak train travel to keep up with his family engagements in Vermont and Boston, as well as happily hopping on a plane to California.
He is survived by his daughters Adrienne Magida, a retired grade school teacher in Middlesex, VT (married to David Magida); Cynthia Harper, Professor at University of California San Francisco; and Sharon Harper, Professor at Harvard (married to Dan DeGooyer). Son Roger Harper of New Canaan, CT works in finance (married to Heather Harper). His grandchildren include Kyle (father of Becca and Ben) and Lindsay Magida (mother of Cora and Elias); Reed, Ryan and Patrick Harper; Corinne and Camilla Sigmund; and Adriana DeGooyer.
A memorial service will be held later in the spring at the North Stamford Community Church. Leo P. Gallagher and Son Funeral Home is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Stamford History Center, the Richard Conant Harper Scholarship Fund at the University of Bridgeport, or the Farm & Wilderness Conservation in Vermont.