Charlie Raper, 98, of the Hiwassee Dam Community, passed away Monday, morning, Aug. 23, 2021, at Cherokee Hospital.
Mr. Raper was born Feb. 28, 1923, to the late Martin Thomas Raper and Dora L. Kilpatrick Raper.
He was a lifelong resident and member of Liberty Baptist Church.
He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the 835th Bombardment Squadron. He was the oldest living World War II veteran in Cherokee County.
Charlie worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority for 15 years and was most known from Raper Variety Store, which he operated for 56 years.
In addition to his parents, Charlie was preceded in death by his first wife, Jane Campbell Raper, and his second wife, Bernice Boring Raper; four sisters, Lois Holloway, Blanche Boring, Mary Lou Anderson and Willa Mae Wilson; and four brothers, Clem, Glen, Bill and Jack Raper.
Survivors include three children, Issac Thomas Raper and wife Marilyn, Shelia Bradley and husband Charles, and Charles Hoyt Raper and wife Brenda; seven grandchildren, Lisa Bradley, Joshua Raper, Hannah Hardin, Sarah Shreve, Pamela Raper, Erica Dockery and Jessica Lawrence; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, in Liberty Baptist Church with the Rev. Tim Dickey officiating. Music will be provided by Marty Ansorge and Cynthia Lumme. The interment will be in Mount Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery with military graveside rites conducted by Murphy American Legion Post 96, Hayesville VFW Post 6812 and Hayesville American Legion Post 532, and masonic graveside rites conducted by Montgomery Lodge No. 426. Pallbearers will be Joshua Griggs, Jeremy Locke, Kevin Dockery, Garth Lawrence, Brenton Hardin and Jeremy Shreve. Honorary pallbearers will be Glen Maples, Don Pickney, Roger Willis and Glen Holcomb.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, at Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy, where the body will be until placed in the church 30 minutes prior to the services.
The family has requested that anyone attending, please wear a mask.
Those desiring to send flowers may do so, or in lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Mount Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, Attention: Tonya Wiggins, 580 Hiwassee Dam Access Road, Murphy, NC 28906.
Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy, is in charge of all arrangements.
You may send condolences to the family and an online guest register is available at www.iviefuneralhome.com.