Robert M. “Bob” Harper of La Grande died July 5, 2007, at Legacy Emanuel hospital in Portland. He was 63.

Mr. Harper was born July 29, 1943, in Phoenix, Ariz. to Timothy Joseph and Nadene Annabelle (Clark) Martin. At the age of two, his parents moved to Wallowa, where he lived and went to school. In 1960 he joined the U.S. Navy, and after his discharge moved back to Wallowa and worked in the logging industry for several years.

Mr. Harper moved to Arizona and worked in the copper mines with his younger brother. In 1976, they moved to Alaska, where he worked on the pipeline in Prudhoe Bay until its lay-off. He then moved back to Oregon and worked for Timberline Erectors as a millwright and crane operator in Washington, Oregon and California, until he retired in 2005. He moved to La Grande in 2006 and resided there until his death.

Mr. Harper is survived by two sons James M. Harper of Juneau, Alaska, and A. Stephen Harper of Vancouver, Wash.; brother David L. Harper of Anchorage, Alaska; sister Marlene L. Westendahl of Asotin, Wash.; three nephews and three nieces.

He was preceded in death by his stepfather, William Kenneth Harper and his mother Nadene C. Harper; brother William John Harper and a nephew, also named William John Harper.

Services will be held on July 12, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. at the Wallowa Cemetery. Loveland Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.