Doris June (Miner) Harker

Doris June Miner Harker, 93, of Springville, passed peacefully from this earth on Friday, March 18, 2022 with her family by her side and her sweetheart waiting patiently in the wings.

Doris June was born October 22, 1928 in Long Beach, California to Melvin and Pearl Miner.  She was the youngest of their four children, joining Doug, Barbara, and Mary Jane. They grew up in an idyllic neighborhood, across the street from a golf course and park as well as a lagoon just a block away which extended up from the ocean.  Golfing was a big part of their family life and being outdoors and active was a life-long passion of hers.

Another life-long passion was the friendships she made.  She had the ability to strike up a conversation with anyone and magically make connections to people she had never met before. In her 90s she still kept in touch with friends she made in elementary school and college as well as friends from places she had lived in California, Utah, Michigan, New Mexico and France.

As an avid reader, she loved to learn new things.  Even after graduating from the UC Berkeley she took community education courses while her children were young and went to law school at the age of 44 when her youngest children were in high school.  She practiced law in Salt Lake City, at the University of Michigan, and Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico.

So much of this was possible for her because of the great support of her husband/best friend, Reed Harker. They were married in Mesa, Arizona January 24, 1951 and built a life together while raising their four children.  She was very supportive of him as well, moving to four different states as his career developed.  She also went with him on two LDS missions to France, where Reed had served in his youth.  They loved traveling, camping, golfing, eating great food, visiting grandchildren and just being together wherever they were.

Her faith was important to her and carried her through her life’s greatest challenge when Reed passed away in 2007. Her faith in God and the knowledge that she would be with Reed again gave her the strength to live the last 14 years alone.

In addition to Reed, she was preceded in death by her parents, three siblings, and two little great-grandsons.  She is survived by her four children, Alan (Stephanie) Harker of Springville, Janice King of Clayton, California, Nancy (Dane) Calkins of Springville, and Jay (Marian) Harker of Longmont, Colorado. She was very proud of her family, which includes 13 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.  She was especially thrilled to live long enough for those 3 little great-greats to arrive over the last 7 months.

The family wishes to express gratitude to her many neighbors who watched out for her, and to the staff of Spring Gardens and iCare hospice for their tender care of our mother during the final days of her life.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday May 14, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. in the Hobble Creek Stake Center, 495 S. Canyon Road in Springville.

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