Leta Harris Carper

Leta Mae (Harris) DeRuiter Carper, 91, widow of Robert W. Carper, Sr. died October 31, 2021 at her residence.

She was born April 14, 1930 in Monterey, a daughter of the late Henry J. and Evelyn (Rexrode) Harris.

Prior to retirement, she had been employed by Reid’s Store and Shop and Save for many years.

She was a graduate of Monterey High School where she received awards for basketball and drama. She also attended Dunsmore Business School.

Leta was a member of Christ United Methodist Church; Women of the Moose Chapter 1439; American Legion Auxiliary 0013, and past member of Hilltop Bowling League for 30 years. She was a charter member of the Woodrow Wilson Lions and Lioness Club where she received the Lioness of the Year Award in 1988 and 1989.

Leta was widely known as “Minnie Pearl” that she previously performed in shows all over the state. She MC’d for lots of clubs and organizations across the state.

She loved to make you laugh as she felt it was better to laugh than to cry. She loved gardening and the beauty of her flowers. Her most favorite quote: “Remember it’s not the miles I have traveled but how I traveled them”. She enjoyed taking trips with tour groups throughout the country and to Europe, enjoyed making new friends and loved playing rummy with her friends. Leta loved her family and was always a call away. She was a caring friend and was very helpful to others.

Family members include two daughters and a son-in-law, Dian Crigler and companion, Dennis Molnar, Cindy Gorrell and husband, Charlie; two grandchildren, Lisa Branson and her husband, Adam, and Mandi Bryant and her companion Paolo Flippen; three great grandchildren, Matthew and Hannah Branson and Michael Bryant. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family.

In addition to her husband and parents, she is preceded in death by a daughter, Maria DeRuiter.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m., Monday, November 8, 2021 in the Henry Funeral Home Chapel by Rev. Jesse Moffitt. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow the service at Oak Lawn Mausoleum and Memory Gardens.

The family requests that all attendees wear masks.

The family would like to thank the nursing staff at Augusta Health, the Staunton Rescue Squad and the many caretakers, all of whom showed great compassion and took such wonderful care of Leta.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Woodrow Wilson Lioness/Lions Club for sight preservation or to Christ United Methodist Church, 1512 Churchville Avenue, Staunton, VA, 24401.

Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.henryfuneralhome.net .