Carol Anne Raborn Harper

Carol Anne Raborn Harper, 85, passed away on April 1, 2024.  She was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 6, 1939.  She was the daughter of the late George Raborn, Jr. and Cecile Ghisalberti Raborn and grew up in New Orleans.  She had one  brother who predeceased her in 2020, George Raborn, who was very special to her.

Carol was 17 years old when she married Howard Harper, also of New Orleans.  They lived in New Orleans; Blytheville, Arkansas; Huntsville, Alabama; and ended up in North Little Rock, Arkansas where Howard started his own telephone systems business, Harper Systems. She was married to Howard from 1956 to 1985.  

She is survived by two children -- Mark Howard Harper (Jewel) and Helen Harper Thigpen (Rodney); three grandchildren – Marie Alicia Mashburn, Bradford Hamilton Harper, and Alexandra Rose Thigpen; and one great-grandchild – Kalyn Grace Mashburn.   

Carol was an avid lifelong reader and had a keen interest in politics and was a passionate supporter of the New Orleans Saints.  She worked at Harper Systems, Waldenbooks, and for the Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration.  She loved cats and spent time a lot of time caring for strays as well as her own pets.

Carol chose to donate her body to science. 

Memorial Service and Celebration of Life for Carol Harper will be held on Friday, May 17th at 1:00 p.m. at the Idlewild Clubhouse, 3411 Idlewild Avenue, North Little Rock.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of Carol's two favorite charities, the Arkansas Food Bank and Little Rock FURR (Feline Rescue and Rehome) at teamfurr.org.