Terry Harper

Terry Harper died surrounded by his family, Nov. 18, 2018, from complications of cancer treatment. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Fischer, son, Sam, and daughters, Annabel and Phoebe. He also leaves behind two dogs, and more cats than he knew about, because it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission.

Terry was born in 1944 in Paris, Texas, and soon after, his family moved to Napa, where he attended school. Terry was fiercely intelligent and a lifelong learner who worked his way through almost the entire collection of novels at the Napa Library before high school. He’d eventually pass his love of reading to his children, but academia was not his calling. After high school, Terry went to work at C&H Sugar with his father, but his spirit of adventure took him to San Francisco not long after to join the ranks of the activists who marched for a better world. Terry was a feminist and a believer in the rights of all Americans. He later found his passion for restoring and selling antiques, an endeavor which took him all over the world.

Terry met Nancy in 1983, and they eventually moved back to Napa. Terry spent the past 27 years as a loving father, a passionate sports fan, a road-trip-stress-case, and a secret lover of kittens. He knew how to juggle, ride a unicycle, back up a trailer, and build a barn. He encouraged the dreams and pursuits of his children, like when his 8-year-old son expressed an interest in chopping things down and was then given a machete for Christmas. His family was not finished having him in their lives, and his loss will reverberate with us forever.

Terry did not want a funeral or memorial. Instead, there will a birthday party for him this Sunday, December 16th, at 1670 Los Carneros Ave in Napa, from 3 PM to 6 PM. Friends and family are welcome to join us in drinking Bud Light, wearing denim-on-denim, and having loud opinions on football players.

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