BENNINGTON -- Mrs. Barbara Mae Harper, 81, a resident of West Road Park in Bennington, died on Monday morning, Sept. 13, 2004, at Rivers Edge Community Care Home in Bennington.Mrs. Harper was born on Oct. 13, 1922 in Pownal, the daughter of John and Beatrice (Mattison) Welch. Her marriage to Francis E. Harper took place on Feb. 20, 1943. Mr. Harper died on Dec. 25, 1993.In her earlier years, Mrs. Harper had worked as a school bus driver, first for the Pine Cobble School in Williamstown, and later as a driver for special education students and athletic teams in Bennington. She had also been employed at the Vermont State Police barracks in Shaftsbury and retired from Catamount Elementary School, where she worked in the office. Mrs. Harper especially enjoyed gardening, crocheting, knitting, building puzzles and hand crafts.Mrs. Harper is survived by two sons, Harold Harper and his companion Lois Langlois of Bennington and Dennis Harper of Shaftsbury; her daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Gary Forrest of Bennington; her sister, Auleta Mezowicz of Bennington; 10 grandchildren, Wanda Joyce of Colchester, Tracy Davis of Chesapeake, Va., Jason Harper of Manassas, Va., Colleen Mears, Michael Langlois, Kelly Lemieux and Amy Forrest, all of Bennington, Robin Gardner of Pownal, Beth Forrest of California and Paul Forrest of Arizona; 11 great-grandchildren, Brendan Davis, Rachael Schwartz, Samantha Mears, Brianna Harper, Matthew Joyce, Sophie Joyce, Michaela Lemieux, Grace Gardner, Michael Langlois, Marcus Forrest and Nigel Mears; and nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Francis, Mrs. Harper was preceded in death by a grandson, Matthew Scott Woodward; two sisters Dorothy Langlois and Patricia Peck; and her brother Ernest Welch.A service to remember the lives of Francis and Barbara Harper will be held on Wednesday morning, Sept. 15, at 11 a.m. at the Hanson-Walbridge Funeral Home in Bennington. The Rev. Deborah Estey, pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Bennington, will officiate. Interment will follow at Park Lawn Cemetery in Bennington. Friends are invited to call at the funeral home on Wednesday morning from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.Gifts in Mrs. Harper’s memory may be made to the Bennington Rescue Squad in care of the Hanson-Walbridge Funeral Home, P.O. Box 957, Bennington, VT 05201.To send e-mail condolences to the Harper Family or for directions, please visit www.sheafuneralhomes.com.