Funeral services for Mary Woodruff Harper, 81, of Hayden will be 2:00 P.M. Thursday October 22nd at Hanceville Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be prior to the service from 1:00 until 2:00 P.M. at Hanceville Funeral Home.

A small-town farm girl born in Odessa, Texas and raised in Davis, Illinois. She went to college at Southeastern Bible College and was just short of graduating by one semester. She became the first female master plumber in Alabama, and president of the Alabama gas fitters organization for several years. In May of 1983, she became a plumbing inspector for the City of Birmingham, where she continued to work for a grand total of 23 years, 8 months, and 2 days. She was hard-working, determined, independent, and self-driven, a trait she passed down to her children. She was an outstanding friend, maintaining several friendships over half a century, an amazing feat in itself. She was a good mother to her three children. She went above and beyond to give a home to her youngest child, Karen Harris by adopting her when her home life was less than ideal. Giving her a life that she wouldn't have had otherwise. She was generous to a fault.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Evelyn Woodruff and her loving husband Charles Woodruff, her older brother Don Woodruff, and her baby brother, Gary Woodruff. Survived by her sister, Barbara LaBudde, and her two sons, Scott and Chris Labudde. Her children, Amy Brasher Welch (John), Daniel Brasher, and Karen Hughes (Tyler). Grandchildren, Jordan Lexi Brasher, James Harris, and Harley Hughes. Great grandchildren, Sarah Brasher, and Carolyn Brasher. She had numerous nieces and nephews from her marriage to Shelby Brasher.