OBITUARY OF JOHN HOOPER
John Morris Hooper passed away on May 21, 2019 after a long illness. His cousin Quaylene Cardin-Parkey along with Michael Richards and Jacqueline Grider , of Portales, were his care givers during this time. He is survived by his older brother, Ronald, of Payson Arizona, his younger brother Lynden, of Phoenix Arizona, his cousin Quaylene, nephews Aaron Hooper, Ryan Hooper and Justin Hooper and niece Tiffany Hooper.
John was born in Clovis, NM on February 1, 1945 to parents Henry Clay Hooper and Mary Mildred Hooper. His father, Clay, served in the Army during World War II and, because of that, father and son met for the first time when John was almost two.
For most of his childhood he lived in Portales. He attended Portales Junior School and Portales High School, where he played on the basketball and baseball teams. He also attended Eastern New Mexico University where he received his Bachelors degree in teaching. And then after his tenure with Home Builders he went back to school at the U of A and got his Masters in Early Childhood Education and taught early childhood reading in Tucson for 5 years before retiring.
His profession and passion was teaching, and during his career he taught at various schools in California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. His favorite job, the last 12 years before retirement, was with Home Builders Institute in Tucson Arizona. Home Builders is a government program that teaches underprivileged young people the construction trades and he loved doing that.
While living in Tucson John also became an avid University of Arizona Wildcat Basketball fan. Every year he could give you the rundown and statistics on every new and current player and coach much like a sportscaster.
Everyone who knew John, respected and admired him. He will be greatly missed. Donations in his memory can be made to the Portales Public Library, Baptist Children’s Home or Christian Children’s Home.
