Harper Marissa Monroe Harlow, 13, passed away at home on Sunday, September 14, 2025. A Mass of Christian Burial 1:00 p.m., Saturday, September 20, 2025 with a reception to follow. A private family burial will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at gardencityfh.com.
She was born in Missoula, MT on May 3, 2012, to William and Kathryn Harlow—a gift from God, joining her two older sisters, Lola and Bella. Though she was a content, quiet baby, by the time she could walk she began to drum to her own beat. You could always tell that Harper had been in a room by the path of destruction she left, from toys and stuffed animals she taken apart and rebuilt, building blocks and Lego creations, to art supplies everywhere; quickly earning her the nicknames “Hurricane Harper” and “The Harpinator.” Harper was equally as tender as she was wild, and affectionately known as Roe, Riss-Roe, Harpie, and Harps.
Harper was always a free spirit, preferring the outdoors to indoors and comfort over fashion. As a toddler, we once found one of our chickens in her bedroom while Harper played outside. When asked why she put it there, Harper confidently explained that she thought it might want to play with her toys. She was never afraid of anything, and one of her favorite replies as a 3-year-old was, “I’m not a baby, dude.”
Roe’s interests, hobbies, and love for being outdoors maintained throughout her whole life. She could always be found climbing a tree, building tree forts, skateboarding, swimming, swinging on a swing, playing with her cats, jumping on the trampoline, playing games like “Werewolf” and “Flashlight Tag,” collecting bugs, and digging holes. She loved playing Gorilla Tag, hanging at the mall with friends, making masks, painting, and taking her family’s phones to take pictures of herself.
Harper was a real comedian, with a wit unmatched; she always had a quippy comeback or a hilarious joke. She thought it was funny to never smile (or stay still) for a photo, opting for a weird or silly face. Nothing was ever too serious with Harper around, as she continually kept us laughing. Harper was incredibly intelligent and curious. She wondered about many things and asked lots of questions, reflecting her deep ways of thinking.
Harper was an incredible friend and had so many who loved her as much as she loved them. Her first best friend was her adopted great grandfather, Ye Ye. They loved going on walks together, playing at Bonner Park, raking leaves for Harp’s to jump into, and just simply being together. Her two besties were Arwyn and Noie, but she had a collection of friends in the neighborhood, affectionately known by her family as “The Hoodies.” Though they had many meeting places, our house was often their “Headquarters,” and she was rarely without one of them and more likely to be with at least 3.
Harper had many dreams, including becoming a famous YouTuber, a Veterinarian, and most recently, an Arborist. While Harper’s dreams remain here with us, her spirit is free from pain, and we trust she now knows a happiness beyond what this world can offer, as she is now at peace, surrounded by love, joy, and everlasting light in heaven.
Left to cherish her memory are her parents, William and Kathryn Harlow; sisters Lola and Bella Harlow; paternal grandparents, Bill and Diane Harlow; maternal grandmother, Beckie Hesse; adopted great grandfather, Father John Wang; uncles and aunts Renee and Todd Leisinger; Gabe Hesse and Chelsea Mayer; cousins, Max and Spencer Leisinger; Teddy and Linus Hesse; extended family and a host of friends.
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