Joseph Harris Harper was born September 20, 1927 in Moncton, NB. Following graduation from Moncton High School he went to work for Hudson McMackin & Co., Chartered Accountants, where he articled for five years and attained his C.A in 1950. In 1951, he moved to Toronto and continued his work in public accounting with George A. Touche & Co. Shortly after, he met Margaret Johnston and they were married September 18, 1954; they had three children, Stephen, Grant, and Robert. In 1955, he left public accounting to work for Imperial Oil Ltd where he worked in various capacities until his retirement in 1986. Harper was an Army cadet in World War Two and maintained a lifelong interest in the insignia of the Canadian military. Prior to his death he authored two monographs on military history: Old Colours Never Die: a Record of Colours and Military flags in Canada, (with Frank Dunbar, F.J. Dunbar and Associates 1992) A Source of Pride: Regimental Badges and Titles in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1914-1919, (Service Publications, 1999). Harper died April 12, 2003 in Calgary, Alberta.