Evelyn Sheffield Harper – Ocala-News.com

As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, Evelyn Beatrice Harper, age 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, of Joseph and Leola Bell. Sheffield. As a child, she grew up in Alachua, Williston and eventually settled in Dunnellon in 1944 with her two brothers and parents.

After graduating from her alma mater, Dunnellon High School, Evelyn was on her way to becoming a physical education teacher and basketball coach. At Stetson University, during training week, she felt God calling her in a different direction to become a nurse. At the age of 18, Evelyn left the train station in Dunnellon and traveled to the 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 in the Naval Reserves in Georgia. They were married for almost 7 years. Evelyn then returned to Dunnellon to live with her widowed mother and raise her family. She began working as a 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 most old part of Dunnellon, one block 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. Community members called her at all hours of the day/night, and Dunnellon’s town doctor, Dr. Hughes, called her to make house calls instead of sending his nurse. As a community nurse, Evelyn worked from the heart and charged nothing because she cared for those who needed her! After more than 40 years of nursing, Evelyn retired to spend time with family, friends and to serve her church.

Throughout her life, she was guided by a deep faith in Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior, and had a sense of compassion to care for, love and care for others as Christ does for us! It is her love for God, her family, her church and her community that will be especially remembered and greatly 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); grandson Jerry Sheffield has a stone in Evelyn’s family ring because he was more like a son than a grandson (“daughter” in love, Betty Sheffield); brother Howard Sheffield, 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

Evelyn was predeceased by husband Harold Harper, first husband Emory Lowery, brother Gerald Sheffield, niece Samantha Lolly, nephew/”son” Jerry Sheffield and parents Joseph and Leola Bell Sheffield.

Burial will be at Evelyn’s First Baptist Church home in Dunnellon, FL. Viewing is Tuesday, May 28, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., with service to follow at 11. Following the service, Evelyn Sheffield Harper will be laid to rest with her husband Harold Harper at Dunnellon Memorial Gardens.