Ben Thomas Harper

Ben Thomas Harper passed away December 20th, 2023 at the age of 56. He was born February 11, 1967 in Newberg, Oregon to Chester Ben Harper and Mary Sylvia Wilson. He grew up in Butteville and attended North Marion High School. Ben joined the Army in 1984. Ben met Colleen Searle in the fall of 1992, they were married in Vancouver, Washington on December 24th 1993. They raised their family in the Hubbard area. After the Army, Ben started building pole barns. He later started his own construction company as a general contractor. When you drive around the local community you will see many barns, buildings, and projects that Ben built with tremendous pride. His customers were like family. He was also a great mechanic and fabricator. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t build. He enjoyed the outdoors, camping, and riding dirt bikes. Most of all, Ben enjoyed using his talents to help others. One day driving home from Newberg he saw an older couple broken down on the side of the road. He stopped, and after speaking with the husband, found out their RV wouldn’t be towed until the following day. Ben went back and was able to repair their RV, getting them back on the road continuing their trip to the coast. That couple was so grateful and overwhelmed. Ben’s kindness will be missed by all. A beautiful family starts with a good man. We were so blessed with Ben! He set the bar high. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He enjoyed being with his kids – he was always beside them, coaching and supporting them in their passions. He is survived by his wife Colleen of Hubbard, children Kyle (Nicole) Harper of Colton, Victoria Harper (Jared) of Hubbard and grandson Landon Harper. Sisters Carla (Pat) Christensen of Beavercreek and Linda Harper of Heppner. Stepfather Bob Allen, stepmother Patricia Harper, sister-in-law Nancy Harper. He was preceded in death by his mother Sylvia Allen, brother Tony Harper, and father “Ben” Harper. Donations can be made to the National Psoriasis Foundation. A celebration of life will be held later this spring or summer.