Wisconsin Land Information AssociationRemembering Hugh Harper
Known for his energy and enthusiasm, and the ability to stir up a room, Hugh Harper was a charismatic figure in the Wisconsin Land Information Association (WLIA). Sadly Hugh passed away on Wednesday July 10, 2019, at the age of 77, after a long and hard fought battle with liver disease.
As part of WLIA, Hugh was a member of the Board of Directors from 1997 through 2000. He did a lot for Wisconsin’s land information program throughout his time with the organization. He was a key player & contributor in the activities that led to the first orthophoto consortium in the State.
Hugh was an easy going guy, no nonsense and humorous. He had some great stories. He was always interested in what others thought and was great at gathering ideas and input from those in a small group or in a room full of people at a WLIA Town Hall meeting. Hugh was known for his straightforwardness, never shying away from a discussion and always willing to debate on a topic with passion. Hugh was a staunch supporter of land records modernization, and during a time in the State when there was not the communication and trust between WLIA & DOA that we currently enjoy, Hugh was fierce and relentless in his pursuit of transparency.
Hugh will be deeply missed and fondly remembered. He was a true champion for the cause and pursuit of modernizing land records in the State of Wisconsin, and a great guy to get to know. Our thoughts and prayers go out to The Harper Family and all who were privileged to call him a friend.
Feel free to post memories of Hugh in our comments section.
Todd Halvorson, Hugh Harper (Center), and Al Brokmeier in 2000 at the conference in Lake Geneva. 
The 1997 Board of Directors class receiving outgoing plaques at the 1999 Annual in Appleton. (Left to Right). President Diann Danielson. Hugh Harper, Tim Barnett, Paula Cummings, Pat Ford, Brenda Hemstead, and Steve Ventura.
Hugh Harper’s obituary can be found at https://obituaries.lacrossetribune.com/obituary/hugh-harper-1075819739
State Cartographer’s Office write up
3 Comments on “Remembering Hugh Harper”
Wisconsin Geospatial News from the State Cartographer’s Office
- Madison, Wisconsin: A View from the Eighteen Nineties December 16, 2020
- Participate in GPS on Benchmarks Program November 24, 2020
- Explore our new Public Land Survey System Locator app October 27, 2020
- SAGIC Selects GeoData@Wisconsin for Cross-Agency Data Access October 9, 2020
- The Foot is Dead! Long Live the Foot! October 6, 2020
It is sad to hear that Hugh has passed. To describe him as “a character” is like referring to the Mississippi as “a little river.” Sometimes irascible, often deeply thoughtful, and always passionate about his beliefs, he brought energy, ideas, and a bit of controversy to WLIA Town Hall meetings. If he hadn’t spoken up on an issue, he was often encouraged to do so. His humor and warmth in engaging everyone he interacted with was infectious. He will be sorely missed.
I can also add that Hugh was on the Vernon County Land Information Committee from its inception in Feb of 1994 until the present. Hugh was one of the primary individuals who initially helped the decision makers in Vernon County become aware of the Land Information Program and finally convince them to participate in the program. I am guessing that his service of 25 years on the Vernon County Land Information Committee/Council is probably one of the longest terms of service on a County Land Information Committee in the State. During my work for the County, which started in 2008, Hugh was always that committee member that was always in support of our Land Record Modernization Efforts and was helpful in using his WLIA experience to discuss and gain support from the County Board members serving on the committee who were less knowledgeable of the WLIP and often less supportive of investing funding for modernization efforts. While he was never a County Board Supervisor himself – his participation, experience, and interest in serving on the committee was a “Huge” asset to Vernon County over all of these years. As many of us know Hugh was quite a character, and his stories/comments/jokes also often brought a level of levity to committee meetings that helped make them more than just a boring & stale business meeting. I believe he will be truly missed by all of us who have been involved with the Vernon County Land Information Council.
Some of the funniest stories coming out of the first ortho consortium were tales from Fred Halfen and Hugh Harper traveling to town meetings explaining the “photo targets” and why we needed them and to please do not paint over them before the flight and please do not shoot at the airplanes taking the photos. You can imagine what a great duo Fred and Hugh were. High tech meets practical tech. The Wisconsin Program should take much pride in its history and practice of welcoming diverse views and listening to each other. A history a practice Hugh and Fred personanated.