Mrs. Martha Susanna Harp, wife of Kansas University's basketball coach Richard "Dick" Harp, passed away Thursday, June 25th, at her home. She was born April 23, 1919, in Heavener, Oklahoma, the daughter of Oliver and Martha Stafford Layne. She served in the U.S. Army and later earned a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in education.

Mrs. Harp taught unified studies for many years at Nallwood Junior High School in Johnson County. She resided in Kansas City, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Lawrence, Kansas. She met Richard F. "Dick" Harp at Fort Riley and they were married on February 7, 1944, while both were serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. Mr. Harp was a former Kansas University men's basketball coach. He died in 2000.

She was survived by a son, Richard, of Las Vegas; a sister, Francis Sloan, of Houston; five grandchildren, Rebecca, Matthew, Adam, Mary and Andrew, and four great-grandchildren, Lucas, Ella, Lainey and Colton.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday afternoon at First Baptist Church with the Rev. John D. Blythe officiating. Burial followed in Olathe City Cemetery.

Sunday, June 28, 2009 ljsworld