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In memory of

Randy Daryl Carey Harker

Emmett, ID, USA

July 11, 1950 - May 27, 2021

Jul 11, 1950 - May 27, 2021

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Randy Daryl Carey Harker, 70, passed away peacefully at his Idaho home on May 27, 2021. He was known to many as "5" and to his grandkids as "Pappa 5". Randy was a veteran who served for 20 years in the Air Force.

Randy was born on July 11, 1950, in Boise, Idaho. When he was young, he and his sister Wendy moved with his mother, Maxine, to New Bern, North Carolina. Later, his family settled in Grifton, North Carolina. Randy graduated from Grifton High School and stayed connected with his hometown "Grifton Gang". In 1975, when he was 25, Randy decided to join the Air Force and served until 1995 when he retired. He served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm in Kuwait. He traveled all over the world as a loadmaster in the USAF and was stationed in Texas, Washington, and Arkansas. After he retired, he moved back to North Carolina until 2012 when he moved to Emmett, Idaho.

Randy always had a passion for playing guitar, restoring cars, fishing, and cooking. He was also a talented artist who loved to paint. He loved spending time in nature, whether it was vacationing at the beach, spending time on the Neuse River, or exploring the mountains out West. Anyone who knew Randy would describe him as kind, gentle, funny, and smart. He also gave the best neck and foot rubs. His children would say that even though he traveled a lot in the Air Force when he came home it was like Christmas with gifts like Nikes from Japan and hula skirts from Hawaii. His twinkling blue eyes and sweet spirit are what many remember most about him.

He is survived by his daughter Shannon Rodriguez, son Zack Carey, and daughter Lauren Lehman, his father, Berkley Harker, his siblings Gray Harker, Brian Harker, Shelley Young, his grandchildren Mary Jane Hewitt, Harker Rodriguez, Luke Rodriguez, Lily Lehman, Hudson Lehman, and his former spouse, Beth Paintin.

Of course, there are many other family and friends who are special to Randy and who will miss him greatly.

Randy was predeceased by his older sister, Wendy Natkong, and his mother Maxine Harker.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the organization listed, the Down Syndrome Association of the Upstate. There will not be a funeral service held at this time.

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