BIOGRAPHY

Harper was born in Stanton, Blaine County, Idaho, USA, on 28 June 1905. Her parents were William Henry Uhrig (1860–1941) and Elizabeth Alice Fowler (1867–1911). She had five siblings: Frederick Reed (1891–1982), Hazel Lenore Johnson (1893–1987), Benton Alphonsus (1898–1990), Delsie Miller (1901–1986) and William. They lived on a farm by Stanton’s Crossing south of Bellevue. As a young girl, she traveled to Bellevue by wagon twice each year. Her mother died when she was 5 years old.

When the family farm was sold in 1917, she moved to Boise, where she met her soon-to-be husband, Ed Harper. The couple got married on 15 September 1924. They moved to Long Beach, California, where they had a dry cleaning business. In 1943, they returned to the Wood River valley. Her husband passed away in 1959. They had no children.

Harper retired at the age of 88. In 2015, she moved into Bell Mountain Care Center in Bellevue.

Harper passed away in Bellevue, Idaho, USA, on 11 December 2016.

RECOGNITION

On 7 November 2016, at the age of 111 years, 132 days, she surpassed the final age of Estella Foster (1874–1986), becoming the oldest person to ever live in the U.S. state of Idaho. She held the title until 8 May 2024, when Sally Ashman surpassed her final age.

Her age was validated by LongeviQuest on 7 June 2023.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Chrystal Leota Uhrig Harper” – FindAGrave

* “Chrystal Harper Obituary” – Wood River Chapel

* “Bellevue woman celebrates 108 years” – Idaho Mountain Express, 3 June 2013

* “Bellevue woman turns 109 Saturday” – Idaho Mountain Express, 25 June 2014

GALLERY