Rodell Harper was born December 27, 1934 in Tuskegee, Alabama to the late Maso & Princie Tatum. She was the fifth of six children.

Rodell moved to Cleveland, OH at the age of 14 with her parents and siblings. She attended Mount Hermon Baptist Church and John Hay High School.

She was married to Willie Robert Harper and had 3 children. She worked as a teacher’s aide for many years and then decided to be a homemaker and raise her family. She was devoted to making sure her family was top priority.

She loved to cook and spend time with her family. Her favorite holiday was Christmas. She loved decorating every room in the house and had to get a real Christmas Tree every year.

Everyone who knew Rodell knew she loved her fish and she especially loved goldfish. She kept her fish tank always looking pretty and cared for her goldfish daily. But her absolute favorite hobby was playing cards. She enjoyed playing solitaire while watching her daytime soap operas or if she had company, you were sitting at the table playing a game of Gin Rummy or her favorite Bid Whist until the early morning. She spent many nights watching the sunrise while playing cards with family and friends.

Rodell departed this life on April 21, 2024 at home with her daughters by her side. Her husband Willie Robert Harper, her siblings Pearl, Susie, Beulah, J.C and her youngest daughter Daphne Harper, all preceded her in death.

She leaves to cherish her memory two daughters, Pamela Harper and Staci Harper-Mathis (John Mathis), four grandchildren Sierra Ball (James Ball), Delonte Harper, Desha Harper and Jamie Gardner, four great-grandchildren Zaria Ball, Ja’Shiya Ball, Jeremih Gardner Harper and Jarvis Gardner Harper, her brother Maso Tatum Jr., and a host of family and friends.