WILMA (WINNA) NELL RUDOLPH HARPER was born on
Dec. 8, 1941 in Los Angeles, CA and passed away on
Nov, 24, 2022 in Sulphur Spring, TX.
In 1943, her parents moved from California to Branch,
TX where they lived in a 2-room shack. The house
belonged to her grandparents no electricity or indoor
plumbing and water was from a well. In 1946, they
moved to McKinney, TX and lived there till 1947 and
moved to Garland, TX. Winna attended school in Garland
and graduated high school at Garland High School. She
went to Eastfield College for courses related to her
work. When she retired, she worked in her yard she
loved flowers and would share with everyone and she
started making quilts she loved doing them and she
loved to craft projects.
Winna came from a very humble beginning her family
by today’s standards would have been poor. As children
she and her sisters played mud pies with pots and pans
from their mothers pantry, they had very few toys and
at Christmas there was only one gift for each child.
They got one pair of shoes each year and a new dress
at Easter and most of her clothes were made by her
mom not store bought. It wasn’t until they moved to
Garland that things got better for her family.
Winna worked for her dad during the summer running
errands and doing his books and straighten his truck
all without pay. When she was 14 years old she picked
cotton for an Uncle one summer for spending money and
it was hard work for anyone especially a teenager.
When Winna graduated from high school she went to
work for Western Electric Company in Richardson, TX.
Western Electric named changed to AT&T and then to
Lucent Industries in Mesquite, TX and she work there
for 35 years and retired.
Winna had a hard but very blessed life. Her children
were her blessings. When her children were young she
decided she wanted a better environment for her boys
so she bought a house by Lake Tawakoni in Point, TX.
She traveled an hour and a half to work every day she
also worked a second job for extra money for her and
her boys. She grew up with a close family ties. She
visited with aunts, uncles and cousins at picnics and
family gatherings. Both her mom and dad had very large
families. Every year the Rudolph family would get
together at the cemetery in Frisco, TX for a big picnic
and clean the cemetery.
Winna had the biggest heart and always helped others at
work she always took a child from the angel tree. She
volunteered at local nursing home visiting and taking
snacks to the people. She always took food to shut ins
and if any one she knew was sick she was there for them
with an ear and food. She helped so many people that
needed help even when she didn’t have the money to spend.
She never said no to anyone.
Winna is preceded in death by her father Wilburn Rudolph,
mother Geneva Hankey Rudolph, brother Harold Rudolph and
great granddaughter Abbigayle North.
Winna is survived by her sons Scott Wilburn Harper and
wife Patricia (Pattie) of Leesburg, TX and Kendall Rex
Harper and wife Melanie of Cumby, TX. Grandchildren:
Heather Jo Harper, Kahle Ryan Harper, Robert Hinsley,
Mark Hinsley and wife Jennifer, Jessica Hinsley and
Aaron North. Great-grandchildren: Kimberly Hinsely,
Jaden Scott Harper, James Marcus Hinsley, Tommy Hinsley,
Brittney Hinsley, Jeremy Hinsley, Halie Hinsley, Kaitlye
Hinsley, Nadlie North and Olivia North. Two sisters:
Loretta (Tiny) Surber of Longview, TX, Lois Johnston
of College Station, TX, Maria Rudolph sister-in-law of
Laredo, TX. Nieces: Monica Williams, Miki Wright, Michelle
Stroud, Lacy Banse, Denisse Rudolph and Pamela Rudolph.
Nephews: Clay Surber, Keith Surber. She had a lot of
aunts and uncles to numerous to name