Obituary of Robert Erwin Harpainter

Services will be held on Saturday, August 20th for Brigadier General Robert E. Harpainter who passed away on Thursday, August 11th in San Jose, CA. Brigadier General Harpainter was appointed Deputy Commander - Operations, State Military Reserve, on 1 January 1991 after commanding the Northern Area Command since June 1987. Robert was born Sept. 18, 1927 in Oakland, California to Adolf & Hulda Harpainter. He grew up in Berkeley. Brigadier General Harpainter began his military career in 1943 as a member of the California State Cadet Corps at Berkeley High School. He graduated from Berkeley High in 1945. He entered the U.S. Navy Combat Aircrew program immediately upon his graduation from High School. He trained as an aviation radioman and aerial gunner in the Navy. After his discharge from the Navy he began his college education at UC Berkeley and San Jose State University. In 1952 as the Korean War began Robert joined the US Army. He received his commission through the San Jose State University ROTC program. At San Jose State he was a member of the varsity judo team. Later he earned his JD degree from Santa Clara University Law School. In 1954 he joined the San Jose Police Department where served for 14 years. It was while working as a San Jose Police Officer that Robert earned his JD degree. In 1968 he left the San Jose Police Department and joined the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. He was a Senior Deputy District Attorney, retiring from that office in the early1990's Brigadier General Harpainter is a graduate of the Military Police School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the National Defense University National Security Management course, and Army War College. While a student at the USAR School C&GSC program, he won the AUSA Outstanding Student award. He served on active duty during the Korean War as a military police platoon leader and as a security officer and assistant camp commander, UNC-MAC Advance Camp, during the prisoner exchange. His USAR service included command of the 496th Military Police Battalion and chief of staff and deputy commander of the 221st Military Police Brigade. Among his awards and decorations are the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Unit Commendation with oak leaf cluster and the California Medal of Merit. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Christine, son Dewey, and daughter Nanette. Services will be held at Santa Cruz Memorial Mission Chapel, 1927 Ocean St. Ext., Santa Cruz on Saturday August 20th at 2:00 pm