Otto Harp

Otto Harp, age 95, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 3, 2023, at Progress West Hospital in O’Fallon, Missouri with family by his side.  He was born on August 4, 1927, in Yardell, Arkansas, the son of Ira Harp and Bertie (Hill) Harp.  He moved to Scott City, Kansas, in 1941, working as a farm hand and other miscellaneous jobs.  Otto served in the Army from November 1945 to February 1947, serving as a Tec 5 Heavy Truck Driver with the 3^rd Engineer Combat Battalion at Kokura, Japan, in the post-war cleanup effort.  

Otto met the love of his life, Emogene L. Wood while she was waitressing at the Airliner restaurant in Scott City.  He was there every night to take her home when she got off work.  Otto gave her an engagement ring at Christmas when she was 16 and they got married on June 8, 1952, at First Christian Church, Scott City, Kansas, two weeks after Emogene graduated from Scott County High School.  They were blessed with four children, Debra Lynn, Richard Duane, Denise Michelle, and Devoe Eugene.  While living in Scott City, Otto was active in First Christian Church and 4-H.

Otto drove a truck for Shallow Water Refining Company and in the 1960’s began farming in Wichita County on the weekends.  In 1971, Otto and Emogene built a home in Wichita County and they started farming full-time.  After moving to the farm, the family attended Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church which was the church Emogene had grown up attending.  Otto and Emogene won many awards for their farming including the Governor’s Award for the wheat sample that had the highest protein in the State of Kansas. This award was presented by then Governor John Carlin at the Kansas State Fair.  In 1980, the Kansas Bankers Association presented Otto and Emogene with a Soil Conservation Award.  In addition to farming, Otto was a school bus driver for Emogene whenever the roads were bad, served as a Wichita County Commissioner, and was active in church, 4-H, and the community.  In the 1990’s, Otto and Emogene began traveling in their RV, including a multi-month trip to Alaska one summer.

In 1998, they retired from farming and moved back to Scott City, Kansas.  Otto and Emogene started traveling more in their RV, spending winters in Fredericksburg, Texas, and summers in Salida, Colorado, where they made many friends.  During the months they were in Scott City, Otto enjoyed working in his shop, having coffee with friends, and, as Emogene called it, attending “story hour” at Co-Op.  Emogene passed away on November 28, 2015, and in October 2016, Otto moved to O’Fallon, Missouri, to be closer to his daughter and family.  

Otto is survived by two sons – Richard (Alicia) Harp, Garden City, Kansas, Devoe (Kim) Harp, Avinger, Texas, and one daughter – Denise (Tim) Murphy, St. Charles, Missouri, five grandsons – Ryan (Kimberly) Harp, Garden City, Kansas, Russell (Sarah) Harp, Topeka, Kansas, Reed (Rheagan) Harp, Manhattan, Kansas, Cody (Keele) Harp, Zanesville, Ohio, Kolt Harp (fiancée Marissa Thompson), Longview, Texas, one granddaughter – Lauren (Cody) Hill, O’Fallon, Missouri, and six great grandchildren.

Otto was preceded in death by his parents, spouse Emogene L. Harp, their first born, Debra Lynn, a sister, Ora Wallis, and two brothers, Doy Harp and Troy Harp.

Funeral Services will be held at the First Christian Church, Scott City, Kansas, at 10:30am on Saturday, February 18, 2023, with Rev. Rodney Hopper presiding.  Visitation will be from 10:00am to 8:00pm, Friday, February 17^th at the Price and Sons Chapel in Scott City with family in attendance from 5:00-7:00pm.  Interment will be in the Scott County Cemetery in Scott City, Kansas.  Lunch will be provided at the church following Interment.  Memorials in lieu of flowers may be given to First Christian Church, the American Red Cross or the American Burn Association in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home, Scott City, Kansas.  Otto was a lifetime blood donor.  This was his way to repay for all the blood given to their daughter Debbie before she passed away at age 6 from injuries in a burn accident.