Clyde W. Harper

August 10, 1942 - December 11, 2020

Services with military honors for Clyde Wendell “Sonny” Harper, age 78 of Lindale, Texas, are scheduled for 11:00 AM Saturday, December 19, 2020 at the First Baptist Church in Lindale, Texas with Dr. Tom Buck officiating. Services are under the direction of Caudle-Rutledge-Daugherty Funeral Home in Lindale, Texas. Clyde died Friday, December 11, 2020 in Live Oak, Texas. He was born in Corpus Christi, Texas on August 10, 1942 to Clyde and Icy Ruth (Magee) Harper. Clyde moved to Lindale in 1952 and graduated from Lindale High School in 1962. As a teenager Clyde sold popcorn at the theater, shined shoes at stores and barber shops, worked at the canning factory and later worked at the Ed B. Caudle Funeral Home. Clyde served in the Army as a cook in the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany from 1962 to 1965. While in the Army, he visited Hershey Pennsylvania, New York City, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland and all over Germany. After leaving the Army, he started working for TP&L in 1965. He worked in Tyler, Terrell, Dallas, Garland, Mesquite, Palestine and Athens. He retired from TXU in 1992. Clyde met Billie Jean Smith-Kelsey in 1967 and married the love of his life on February 10, 1968 at the First Baptist Church in Lindale. This next February 2021, they would have celebrated 53 years of marriage. Clyde coached his son Jimmy Kelsey’s Pee Wee and Pony baseball teams and they had several winning seasons. Clyde worked at Trinity Mother Francis from 1996 to 2006. He retired for a second time so he could help Billie Jean recover from breast cancer. Clyde also worked with NuTech delivering nuclear medicine for 5 years when he finally retired for a third and final time. After retirement Clyde traveled with Billie Jean to visit their grandchildren from Cleburne to Cibolo, Texas. Clyde also worked at the Caudle-Rutledge-Daugherty Funeral Home. Throughout their marriage, Clyde and Billie got to travel including, Disney World Orlando, Hawaii, Cooperstown New York, Boston Massachusetts, Branson Missouri, New Mexico, Durango Colorado, New Orleans Louisiana, and Cancun Mexico. Clyde loved the Lord and served as a Deacon in Athens, Tyler and Lindale. He also sang in the choir and started the Welcoming and Greeters Committee at First Baptist Church Lindale. Clyde finally got the opportunity to move back to Lindale in 2002, the city that he always loved. He was an avid Lindale Eagles fan and attended as many games as he could make. Clyde served as a Councilman for the City of Lindale from 2009 to 2020. He was also involved in Jaycees, Lions Club, Optimist Club, Shriners, Masonic Lodge, Evening Garden Club, and the Tyler Aggie’s Mom’s. Clyde was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde Harper and Icy Ruth (Magee) Harper, sisters, Margaret Joyce-Harper-Richter-Price and Betty Lou Harper-Syma and son, Jimmy Dean Kelsey. He is survived by his loving wife of almost 53 years, Billie Jean Smith-Kelsey-Harper of Schertz, Texas; son, Madison Harper and wife, Christa Willis-Harper; daughter-in-law, Danita Brewer Kelsey; grandchildren, Jessica Kelsey-Richardson and husband, Todd; Leighton Kelsey-Martinez and husband, Martin; Jacob Kelsey and wife, Shannon Walsh-Kelsey; Abby Kelsey-Hernandez and husband, Jose; Connor Harper and Hayden Harper; great grandchildren, Hannah Richardson, Grace Richardson, Ruth Richardson, Jayden Martinez, Giavanna Martinez, Eva Martinez, Kai Kelsey, Warren Kelsey, Hadley Hernandez, Finley Hernandez, Milo Cruz, and soon to arrive, Sofia Martinez; and many unofficially adopted sons, daughters, grandkids and great grandkids all across the country. Honorary pallbearers are Mayor Jeff D. Daugherty, Councilman Rick Thelen, Mayor Pro-Tem Ginger Sims, Councilwoman Yvette Martin, Councilman Bryan Summerville, Councilman Bob Tardiff, City Manager Carolyn Caldwell, and City Secretary Michelle Wiese. Serving as pallbearers will be Clyde’s grandsons. The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Friday, December 18, 2020 at the Caudle-Rutledge-Daugherty Funeral Home in Lindale, Texas. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lindale First Baptist Church Building Fund (http://fbclindale.com/unfinished-building-campaign/), American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/) or American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/). Due to COVID-19 protocols masks are required to be worn at the visitation and funeral services.