Dr. Jared V. Harper passed away on August 11, 2026 at his home in Athens, GA where he had been under hospice care following a stroke.

He is survived by his loving wife and partner of 42 years, Elena Brown; his daughter, Elizabeth Harper of Virginia; his stepdaughter, Laura Brown, son-in-law, Ted Brown and his grandson, Jack Brown of New Jersey; sister, Joan Yearous of Minnesota; brother, Judson Harper of Colorado; several nieces and nephews; many beloved friends; and his cat, Tom. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, James Harper and Justin “Chub” Harper, and sisters, Joyce Ward and Judy Summerbell.

Jared was born August 5, 1944 in Lincoln, Nebraska to Floyd and Eda Kelley Harper, the youngest of seven children. In his teens, his family relocated to the Atlanta, Georgia area. He attended Emory University where he received a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology. He then went on to complete a Master’s of Arts and PhD in Social Anthropology from The University of Georgia. His doctoral thesis remains the preeminent work on Irish Travellers Cant, the language developed by the Irish Travellers in the United States, and has been referenced in publications such as the New York Times and Time magazine.

After a teaching role at the University of North Carolina, Jared worked at the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Georgia. Following eleven years of substitute teaching in the local public schools, Jared received his elementary education teaching certificate and taught first grade in Walton County until his retirement in 1994.

Jared had an incredible passion for model railroading that started when he was a teenager. In late 1977 he founded the Santa Fe Modelers Organization, and launched the publication of a high-quality magazine, the Santa Fe Modeler. Jared served as editor of the magazine from 1977 through 1986 and over the decades that followed, continued to share his vast knowledge of model railroading through his writing and presentations at numerous conventions.

His own model layout took up most of the basement of their home and was truly his passion. And, as with any project he cared about, Jared was meticulous. He spent years interviewing conductors and railroad personnel, visiting archives, taking photographs, researching, and collecting soil and other samples to painstakingly and realistically craft an incredible train layout. He found great joy in and continued to work on refining it until his passing.

Remarkably, Jared and Elena met in July of 1983when Elena answered a personal ad he placed in a local newspaper. Love followed and they were married in November of the same year. They built a beautiful life together — raising two daughters, hosting friends to share Jared’s delicious meals, collecting local art, supporting political and social causes, planning and executing many home and rental property improvements,and parenting many, many cats.

In his forties, Jared began walking for his health — rain or shine. To make the walk less boring, he picked up trash and recycling. For more than 30 years, he could be spotted with his baseball hat and a picker, making friends with neighbors and keeping Athens clean from Lumpkin Street to Milledge Avenue to Broad Street.

Jared’s impact on the community extended beyond keeping it tidy. He served on the boards of the Athens-Clarke County Library and the Athens Land Trust, the ALT’s Affordable Housing Committee, the Athens Solid Waste Citizen’s Advisory Committee and volunteered at free rabies clinics, library book sales, and the1996 Olympics.

Friends and family are invited to remember Jared through a donation to the Athens-Clarke County Library or the Athens Land Trust. A celebration of his remarkable life will be scheduled at a later date.

Athens Cremation Services is assisting the family. www.athenscremationservices.com