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MUSC supporter Virginia Harper dies Aug. 27 Virginia Lawton Harper, wife of Stiles Mikell Harper, died Monday afternoon, Aug. 27, at her home in Estill.  MUSC’s Harper Student Center is named for Stiles and Virginia Harper, major contributors for the structure. “Virginia Harper, or Mrs. Virginia, as she was known to so many friends, was an extraordinary person,” said MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D. “She was kind, gracious and caring and she was the perfect life partner to Mr. Harper through 65 years of marriage. She loved the Medical University and through generous support of the Harper Student Center, Stiles and Virginia Harper improved the lives of our students. She will be deeply missed.” Bill Hewitt, past-chairman of the Health Sciences Foundation Board of Directors, said, “Virginia Harper was just a wonderful lady, a true Southern lady who had MUSC high on her priorities. Both she and Stiles have demonstrated a commitment to the Medical University that gives all of us a wonderful example to follow.” “What Virginia Harper did was embody the spirit of what we all want for MUSC, and that is to enhance the quality of our people here, especially the students, both spiritually and physically,” said E.Conyers O’Bryan Jr., M.D., chairman of the MUSC Board of Trustees. Born in the Brighton Community of Garnett, March 16, 1913, she was the daughter of the late Thomas Oregon and Nanine White Lawton. The 1930 Valedictorian of Estill High School, Mrs. Harper attended Columbia College and graduated magna cum laude from Winthrop College in 1934. She was a member of Lawtonville Baptist Church. Surviving are her husband, Stiles Mikell Harper Sr.; brother, Thomas O. Lawton; children, Stiles M. Harper Jr., Thomas L. Harper Sr. and his wife, Lois Pendarvis Harper, Andrew B. Harper and his wife, Rachael Kearse Harper; grandchildren, Thomas L. Harper Jr. and his wife, Helen Ann Lowenfield Harper, Mikell C. Harper and his wife, Ashley Evans Harper, Abney Harper Whitehead and her husband, David C. Whitehead, James P. Harper, Virginia L. Harper and Stiles M. Harper III; great-granddaughter, Juley M. Harper.  Memorials may be made to Lawtonville Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1057, Estill, SC 29918 or Friends of Hospice, P.O. Box 909, Estill, SC 29918.