TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Sanford E. Harper 1938–2020 Entrepreneur, U.S. Army
Middle School. He served as Interim Principal and Assistant Principal in many of the Dallas Independent School District schools. Hamilton loved serving as school principal and often expressed how he looked forward to seeing the school come alive at the beginning of the school year as the students and faculty arrived on campus. In his schools, his motto was “Everybody is Somebody”. During his tenure as Principal at Madison High School, in 1997 his Girls Track Team won the State Championship and the Boys Basketball Team also captured the coveted State Championship. In 1996 Leon was honored by the Board of Education of Dallas Public Schools as an “African American Hero.” He was honored for dedication of service to the community and recognized as an outstanding Dallas Public School Principal. He was equally devoted to the students at Pearl C. Anderson Middle School and Hulcy Middle School. Hamilton initiated many innovative programs to assist the students in developing academically. Hamilton encouraged his faculty to become involved with and dedicated to the academic growth of the students. A Life Member of the Fraternity, Hamilton was a member of the Dallas (TX) Alumni Chapter and always participated the Fraternity’s annual the National Summer Youth Enrichment Program, Kappa Kamp held at Paul Quinn College. He looked forward to and loved assisting with the Kappa Kamp. In addition to his parents, Leon was preceded in death by two siblings, Nettie Mae Garrett and Raymond Hamilton, Jr. He leaves to cherish his legacy, his college sweetheart and beloved wife of 53 years, Evelyn Rebecca Foster Hamilton and one son, Leon Edric Hamilton, Jr. ; sisters, Gloria Hopson, Jewel Howard, Seawilla Armstrong; and a host of close friends, relatives, colleagues and former students.
products to 41 African nations. Several publications, including the Columbus Dispatch newspaper, Black Enterprise, and Jet magazines, recognized Harper for his leadership, entrepreneurship, and achievements. A Life Member of the Fraternity, Harper was a member of the Columbus (OH) Alumni Chapter, including serving as a past polemarch and later became a member of the Nashville (TN) Alumni Chapter. He received numerous awards from the Columbus (OH) Chapter in appreciation for his dedication and contribution to the achievement of the chapter. His favorite saying was "K A Psi til the day I die." Harper was very involved in supporting his community. He was past president of the Board of Directors of CAMACO, a community action agency in Columbus, OH. He was also an officer with the Eastland Athletic Baseball Association and managed his son's baseball teams. He joined Morning Star Baptist Church in Cincinnati, OH, at a young age and participated in many church activities. He was a member of Second Baptist Church in Columbus, OH, for thirty years. He served on the Trustee Board and was active in the Brotherhood serving one term as its president. He and his wife, Carol, relocated to Mt. Juliet, TN, after retirement and joined the Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church in Nashville, TN where he worked in the Love Kitchen until his health began to fail. Brother Sanford E. Harper was preceded in death by his parents, Patterson and Willie Mae Harper; four brothers: Patterson Jr., Robert, Andrew, and Donald Harper. He is survived by his devoted wife, Carol Harper; son, Derek (Jackye) Lawrence-Harper; daughter, Shanna (Ron) Jackson; sister, Antoinette Harper; three sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law; grandchildren: Ryan and Cara Jackson; and a host of nieces, nephews, devoted cousins, and special friends.
Sanford Eugene Harper (Delta Zeta 1960) entered the Chapter Invisible on July 14, 2020, at the age of 82. Brother Harper was born in Lynch,
KY on April 28, 1938, to Patterson and Willie Mae Harper, the fourth of their six children. He grew up in Cincinnati, OH. Harper attended Cincinnati Public Schools throughout his elementary and high school years, graduating from Taft High School in 1957. In 1962, he earned a B.S. degree in mathematics from Central State University (CSU). He completed post-graduate studies in mathematics at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. In 1975, and he earned an M.B.A. degree in finance from Xavier (OH) University. After graduating from CSU, Sanford worked as a mathematician with the federal government in Pottsville, PA. Six months later, the U.S. Army drafted Harper and he was honorably discharged in 1965. He returned to work for the federal government in St. Louis, MO and later worked for energy companies. In 1974, he moved to Columbus, OH, on loan from GE to provide leadership for a minority-owned company. After leaving GE, Harper became an entrepreneur. He was the founder, president, and CEO of Harper Industries, Inc., which was a modified, integrated manufacturing company with more than 150 employees. He later founded Harper and James, a business consultant firm; Poole Harper (ph) Services, a marketing consulting firm focusing on environmental issues; and Food America International, Inc. (FAI). FAI marketed brand name products in international markets, primarily in Africa and the Caribbean. FAI had an exclusive agreement to sell the Borden Company
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