Lena E. (Temple) Harps

Lena E. (Temple) Harps, age 92, of Benton, died Monday morning, May 7th, 2018 at Sunset Ridge Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center where she had been a resident since April 14th.    

Born February 28, 1926 in Sugarloaf Township, she was a daughter of the late Freeman and Neva B. (Stout) Temple. 

Lena was a graduate of Benton High School, Class of 1944.  She attended Columbia Union College in Tacoma Park, Maryland for three years where she studied business.

She owned the Fred B. Vought Insurance Agency in Berwick for more than 30 years.  Prior to that she was employed by the Pentagon for 20 years in Washington D. C. for the U. S. Army in Research and Development.

She attended the Seventh Day Adventist Church while living in Washington D. C. 

Lena and her late husband, Larry, were instrumental in founding the Sugarloaf Ambulance Association where she remained an active member.    She also assisted with the North Mountain Carnival, the Benton Rodeo and the "Santa Fruit Baskets" for the elderly at Christmas as well as other various community events.  She made batter for countless corndogs and funnel cakes over the years and oversaw numerous fundraising events.  She was very dedicated to the Ambulance Association that she helped found in 1973.   She was also an active member of the Isaac Walton Farm.

She would always be the first to volunteer to make food for anyone in need.  She loved to cook and found any excuse to do so.

Surviving are a step daughter, Kathy Harps Buckley and her husband, Dennis, of Fayetteville;  a step son, Richard Harps and his wife, Becky, of Surfside, SC; numerous step grandchildren and step great grandchildren.  Also surviving are her sisters:  Dorothy Miller, of Benton; Helen Marr, of Chantilly, VA; Virginia Davis, of Manassas, VA; Beatrice Dunn, of Linden, VA and numerous nieces and nephews.  She will be sadly missed by Linda Gough, who was like a daughter to her.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Howard Lawrence "Larry" Harps on September 14, 1983; four brothers:  Frank Temple, Ronald Temple, Freeman Temple, Jr. and Stanley Temple. 

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, May 12th, 2018  at 1 P.M. at the McMichael Funeral Home, Inc., 4394 Red Rock Road, Benton (S. R. 487) with the Rev. Howard W. Leh, Christ United Methodist Church of Central, officiating.  Burial will be in St. Gabriel's Cemetery, Sugarloaf Township.  A Viewing will be held  Friday from 5 to 7 PM at McMichael's.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to the Sugarloaf Ambulance Association, 987 Elk Grove Road, Benton, PA 17814.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lena E. (Temple) Harps, please visit our floral store.