LEWISTON — Beverly C. Harper, 85, of Lewiston, was taken home to be with the Lord on May 19, after a brief illness.

She attended local schools and graduated from Edward Little High School in 1943.

Her career as a full-charge bookkeeper began in several shoe factory offices in the Lewiston/Auburn area with most of her career at Portland News/Hudson in Scarborough, until it closed when she was 78 years old, after the company moved to Massachusetts. She was an active member, organist and choir director at her beloved First Methodist Church in South Portland for many years, as well as a devoted member of Anchor Rebecca Lodge.

She was a celebrated and much sought after singer in the Lewiston/Auburn area and also a member of many music groups in the area until 1968, when she moved to Cape Elizabeth. She was a radio announcer for her own show in the Lewiston/Auburn area.

She is survived by her first cousins, Eleanor Helwig, Dorothy Weeks, David Cooper and wife, Elaine Cooper, Lorraine Additon; her devoted niece, Patti Guptill and nieces, Jolene Stone, Judy Flagg; and her beloved Godchildren, Roger Paradis, Ryan Paradis and Rick Paradis. Long ago Beverly became guardian to Harold Woodman.

She was predeceased by husband, Reginald Harper; father, Joseph Brown; mother, Clara Brown; sisters, Evelyn Guptill, Ida Parker, Wilma Williams; brothers, Oscar and Maurice Brown; first cousin, Barbara Steele; niece, Jean Gavin; and beloved nephew, John Guptill.