Patricia Lou (Barton) Harper

Graveside services for Pat Harper, 87, of Roswell, NM will be held at 1:00 PM, Fri., Feb. 20, 2026 in the Portales Cemetery with her husband, Dennis Harper officiating assisted by her son-in-law, Jonathan Wolkwitz.  All of her dear friends will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Patricia Lou Harper was born Nov. 2, 1938, in Glendale, AZ to Lou Ellen (Baker) and Ed Kirkpatrick, and died Feb. 12, 2026 at her home in Roswell.  Mrs. Harper’s family moved to Brownsville, TX where she was raised by her loving stepfather, Ben Barton.  Pat graduated from Brownsville High School in 1956, and went on to attend Southwestern Junior College in Keene, TX.  It was there that she met her future husband, Dennis Harper, and they were married in Brownsville on Dec. 28, 1959.

They made their home in Portales for 40 years where they farmed and ranched and also owned Hello World Travel Agency.  It was there that Pat made many precious friends.  For the past 23 years they had been living in Roswell to be near their only daughter and her family.

Even after moving to Roswell, Pat and her husband remained faithful members of the Seventh Day Adventist congregation in Portales, traveling back and forth to attend services.  For enjoyment, Pat made ceramic figurines that she painted and fired in a kiln.  She also entered countless contests, and in one of those contests she won a cruise.

She is survived by Dennis, her beloved husband of more than 66 years of their home in Roswell; her cherished daughter and son-in-law, Stacy and Jonathan Wolkwitz of Roswell; her treasured grandson, Colton Wolkwitz of Roswell, to whom she was lovingly known as “Dodgie”; and one beloved brother, Edward Barton and his wife, Tita of Brownsville, TX.  She was preceded in death by both of her parents.

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