HARPER, Lester - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

A Covington native, 41-year-old Lester A. Harper was killed June 16 in an auto accident near Danville, Illinois. Harper had moved to Huntington six weeks ago. He was driving a semi on Interstate 74 and struck a bridge abutment near the Bowman Avenue exit.

  Harper was pronounced dead at the scene of massive head and internal injuries. He was employed by Hiner Leasing and had driven a truck for about 15 years. The accident happened around 3:50 a.m.

 A witness told police the truck was westbound and started to weave, drifted into the median, and then struck the bridge.

  Harper was born February 16, 1941 in Danville, Illinois, the son of Dale and Eileen Rayl Harper. He lived most of his life in the Covington and Veedersburg area and attended Covington High School.

  Survivors include a daughter, Shirley Ann Harper of Winchester; three sons, Dale Wesley Harper of Winchester, Troy Harper and Todd Harper, both of Louisiana; his mother, Mrs. Eileen Fleck of Covington; his father of Danville; a brother, Sandy Harper of Veedersburg; and a sister, Mrs. Ron Cates of Covington.

  Another brother, Michael Dean Harper, was killed in an auto accident in Germany in 1972 while serving with the army.

  Services were conducted last Friday at Bodine and Shelby Funeral Home in Covington with Rev. Robert Hentrich officiating. Burial was in Mount Hope Cemetery. -s