WICHITA

Robert David Scraper (Dave) was born to Robert (Bob) & Vida Scraper on May 27, 1943 in Beloit, KS.  While Bob served in the Army during WWII, Dave & Vida resided with Vida's parents in Beaver County, OK.  Upon Bob's discharge the family took up residence on a farm near Asherville, KS in Mitchell County where Dave began school at Asherville Grade School along with 26 other students in grades 1-8.  The farm was sold when Bob's Army Reserve unit was recalled during the Korean Conflict.  During the following years the family followed Bob's occupation and Dave attended schools in Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma.  In 1958 the family moved to Hiawatha, KS where Dave graduated from Hiawatha High School in 1961.  When he moved to Hiawatha he met a pretty majorette named Sandy (the band director's daughter).  They dated throughout high school.  Dave and Sandra Sue Cooper were married in July of 1961.  Both attended Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State University) in the fall of 1961.  To this marriage were born four sons Michael, Jeffrey, Joel and Greg.  Sandy died in an automobile accident in 1992.

A fter graduating from KSTC in 1965, Dave's career in Kansas education as a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent encompassed 32 years in such places as Waverly, Tonganoxie, Hiawatha, Onaga, Conway Springs and Winfield. During this time Dave also obtained graduate degrees from Northwest Missouri State University and The University of Kansas.  After retiring from education, he was involved with the South Central Kansas Health Insurance Group as its Chief Operating Officer and Plan Administrator until 2005.

I n 1993 Dave married Katherine Fisher of Conway Springs and was blessed with the addition of her three sons Aaron, Bradley and Kyle to the family.  Dave, Kathy and their three youngest moved to Winfield in 1995.  Dave and Kathy moved to Wichita in 2008 to downsize their life.  They enjoyed their large, ever-expanding family at holidays and traveling around the country to visit them.  While in Wichita, Dave and Kathy became active in the Calvary United Methodist Church where Dave held several committee positions and was a Stephen Minister.

D ave was possessed by a lifelong interest in horses.  He often said that he didn't remember learning to ride.  He participated in all forms of equine activities during his life, and was proud of the accomplishments the horses he raised had achieved.  He was a long term member of the American Quarter Horse Association, one of the early members of the American Paint Horse Association and a 4-H horse project leader at both the county and state level.

A nother of Dave's areas of interest was related to his Cherokee ancestry.  Dave was a proud member of the Cherokee Nation and participated in the Mid America All Indian Center's American Indian Festival with the "painted ponies" demonstration (war & hunting horse symbols and their meaning) during the festival.  Always a history academic, Dave was continually researching indigenous history and was more than willing to share this knowledge with others.

D ave was preceded in death by his parents; Sandra (Cooper) Scraper; Katherine (Walker) Scraper; brother, Larry Scraper.  He is survived by sons Mike (Vickie) Scraper, Wichita; Jeff (Tiffany) Scraper, St. Peters, MO; Dr. Joel (Mary Ann) Scraper, Augusta, GA; Greg (Jen) Scraper, Windermere, FL; Aaron Fisher, Wichita; Brad (Danielle) Fisher, Cherry Hill, NJ; Kyle (Christin) Fisher, Andover; brother Dr. Randy L. (Wanda) Scraper, Edmond, OK; sister-in-law Gerol (John) Moore, Hiawatha; 15 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

M emorial services will be held at Calvary United Methodist Church on Thursday, September 12 at 1:00 PM and interment will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Hiawatha, KS at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, September 13.