Guy Harris Piper, 92, of Springfield, Missouri passed away May 28, 2013 in Sarasota, Florida. He was born June 3, 1920 in Morton Township, Illinois. Guy graduated from Steffenville Consolidated High School on May 8, 1940. Guy enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 17, 1940, served as a Chief Petty Officer and retired on August 17, 1961. Guy, the oldest of the two “Piper Brothers”, served during WWII.
He was one of the last living survivors of Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway. He also served in the Korean War. He received a Bronze Star, Korean Service Medal and several Good Conduct Medals. Later he worked as a correctional officer for the Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. In retirement he served as a security officer for Famous Barr. Guy was also in the Masonic Order.
Guy was preceded in death by his father Guy Theodore Piper and mother Florence Helen (Harris) Piper-Clapper, wife Leta I. Piper, brother L. Lynn Clapper and sister G. Irene Clapper.
He is survived by four children; Jean Garrison and husband David, of Springfield, Missouri, Judy Dosse, of Las Vegas, Nevada, Debra McFarren of Reedley, California and Larry Piper of Springfield , Missouri. He also has two grandchildren; Stephen Nicholson Springfield, and Jennifer Beckley and husband Thomas of San Diego, California. Three great-grandchildren; Taylor Nicholson, Ashlyn Nicholson and Alice Beckley, great great-grandson, Chance Collier, brother Parke Theodore Piper, niece Barbara S. Aeschliman and husband David, great nephew D. Todd Aeschliman, sister-n-law Mary Dennison and husband Jack, niece Karen Flavin, and close friend Ruby Hollis of Sarasota, Florida.
Funeral services for Guy will be Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 9:00 A.M. in Greenlawn Funeral South with visitation Friday night from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. Burial will be in Hazelwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).