Gary was born on Saturday, February 16, 1957 to Aaron and Helen Harper. His parents preceded him in death. He is also preceded in death by his maternal grandparents: Elias and Betsy Goodall Stewart and paternal grandparents:

Johnson and Katie Harper.

He accepted Christ as his personal Saviour at an early age and united with Smith Chapel in Hartsville, TN.

Gary was educated in the Trousdale County School System and graduated from Trousdale County High School in 1975. Gary initially attended Middle Tennessee State University and later transferred to Austin Peay State University (APSU) after receiving a football scholarship. Gary played in the 1977 O Championship game which APSU won. Gary pledged as a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity in 1977. He was #3 online with a line name of “Bubba Ha-Ha Jr.”

Gary was united in holy matrimony on June 27, 2004, to Yvonne Renate McCurty. They shared 22 wonderful years of wedded bliss. They especially enjoyed going to APSU’s football games, taking road trips, going on romantic get aways, traveling internationally with the Volunteer State Mass Choir and worshipping the Lord together. Gary united with Cabin Row Missionary Baptist Church and served in the Deacon Ministry, Male Chorus and wherever else he could be of service.

Gary enjoyed employment in the field of security. He worked for Tennessee

Valley Authority (TVA); Tennessee Department of Corrections as a Corrections Officer for 10 years and at Governor Square Mall as a Mall Security Officer. Gary was an avid fan of “the walking dead” tv series. He spent a lot of his leisure time thinking he was a “Self-Proclaimed Scrabble Expert”, He spent more time trying to convince whoever he was playing against that the word he spelled was a legitimate word and could be found in the dictionary. He would say, go ahead and look the word up.” When Gary lost at Scrabble, he would say that the person that was keeping score could not add the score correctly. Gary always professed to be a “subject matter expert” at whatever topic was being discussed. One of his favorite expressions after he dispelled some knowledge was, “am I right?” Gary was known as a story teller and he would embellish and stretch a story to the most unbelievable ends.

On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, Gary answered God’s beckoning call to cease from his earthly labor and entered into his Master’s joy. He will sorely be missed by all who knew and loved him.

He leaves to cherish and celebrate his memories: loving and devoted wife, Yvonne Renate Harper; daughters: Turkessia Harper Thorpe (Lebanon, TN), Vonikia L Calloway (Clarksville, TN); sons: Joshua Darnell Harper (Marshall, TX), Jamel McCurty (Fort Meade, MD); grandchildren: Alexis (Demontae) Cobbin, Nicolas Branson, JaMia White, Nymea White; aunts: Mrs. Armintary Sullivan (Cleveland, OH), Mrs. Sarah Narbor (Nashville, TN); uncle, Cecil Stewart (Nashville, TN) and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.