Evelyn Sheffield Harper

As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, Evelyn Beatrice Harper, 93, went home to her Savior in Heaven peacefully at Cate’s Hospice House on May 22, 2024.  She was born July 21, 1930, in Trenton, FL to Joseph and Leola Bell Sheffield. As a young child, she grew up in Alachua, Williston and finally settled in Dunnellon during 1944 with her two brothers and parents.

After graduating from her High School Alma Mater, Dunnellon High School, Evelyn was on a path to become a Physical Education Teacher and Basketball Coach.  It was at Stetson University, during training week, that she felt God calling her in a different direction to become a nurse. At age 18, Evelyn departed from the train depot in Dunnellon and traveled to Georgia Baptist School of Nursing in Atlanta, Georgia.

Evelyn married Emory Lowery and had 2 children with him, a son and a daughter, before he died while he was in the naval reserves in Georgia.  They were married almost 7 years. It was then that Evelyn returned to Dunnellon to live with her widowed mother and raise her family.  She began working as a Registered Nurse at Munroe Regional Medical Center. Eight years later, she met Harold Harper (a widower with 4 children), and they were married for 31 years until his death in 1999.  Together, they built a beautiful home and family in the oldest part of Dunnellon, a block away from where she was raising her family with her mother before falling in love with Harold.  Evelyn continued to work at Munroe, primarily in the Emergency Room, and was the Community Nurse for Dunnellon. The community members would call her all hours of the day/night and Dunnellon’s town doctor, Dr. Hughes, would call her to do house visits instead of sending his nurse.  As the Community Nurse, Evelyn worked from her heart and didn’t charge anything as she cared for those who needed her!  After over 40 years of Nursing, Evelyn retired to spend time with her family, friends and serve her church.

Throughout her life, she was guided by a profound faith in Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior, and had a sense of compassion to nurse, love and care for others as Christ does for us! It is her love for God, her family, her church and her community that she will be notably remembered and dearly missed!

Evelyn is survived by 6 children Rebecca Browning, Stephen Harper, Chris Lowery (daughter in love, Tess Lowery), Julie Harper, Susan Clements (son in love, Edward Clements) and Earline Stephens (son in love, Scott Stephens); nephew Jerry Sheffield has a stone in Evelyn’s family ring because he was more like a son than a nephew (“daughter” in love, Betty Sheffield); brother Howard Sheffield, 13 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.

Evelyn was proceeded in death by husband Harold Harper, first spouse Emory Lowery, brother Gerald Sheffield, granddaughter Samantha Lolly, nephew/“son” Jerry Sheffield and parents Joseph and Leola Bell Sheffield.

Funeral will be held at Evelyn’s church home of First Baptist of Dunnellon, FL.  Viewing is Tuesday, May 28, 2024 from 10:00-11:00 am with service to follow at 11. Following the service, Evelyn Sheffield Harper will be laid to rest beside her husband Harold Harper at the Dunnellon Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Dunnellon Building Fund.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Dunnellon Building Fund.

First Baptist Church of Dunnellon Building Fund
Dunnellon FL 34431