Thomas Angel Hopper Jr., 93, died on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008, at a local hospital.
Mr. Hopper was born in Calhoun, Ga., and was raised in Dalton, Ga. He graduated from Dalton High School and the University of Georgia, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
He joined the U.S. Navy in July 1942 and served until June of 1946 during World War II.
He was retired from Franklin Life Insurance Co. He was also a past director of Hardwick Clothes Inc.
He was a member of Broad Street United Methodist Church, where he was past president of the Kelly Sunday School Class. Mr. Hopper served as past president at YMCA, past chairman of the Community Chest/United Fund (United Way), past president of the Cleveland Cancer Society, past president of the Red Cross and past president of the Kiwanis. He was a charter member of the Elks Club and served as a past president of the Cleveland Country Club.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah Hardwick Hopper; two sisters, Thayer Hopper Corker and Travis Hopper Smith.
He is survived by his three children, Mary (Steve) Malphrus, of Chevy Chase, Md., Sarah (Bill) Jones, of Sea Island, Ga., and Thomas Hopper (Lucia), of Chattanooga; as well as his grandson, Thomas Bray Malphrus. He is also survived by beloved friend and companion, Nina Jensen; nephews and nieces, Ted and Barbara Smith, of Ocala, Fla., Nancy Smith, of Roswell, Ga., Frank Corker, of Hahira, Ga., and Cecelia Emerson, of Watkinsville, Ga.
The family would like to express sincere gratitude to caregivers Tamie Bennett, Juanita Cooper, Edwina Morrow and Bertha Kincaid.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, at Broad Street United Methodist Church with Pastor Debbie Stokes officiating. Interment will follow in Fort Hill Cemetery with Jim Park, Joe Moore, Gordon Moore, Curtis Moore, Jim Corn, Lou Patten and Jim Mayfield serving as pallbearers. Sam McReynolds, Ben Moore, Jack Allen and members of the Kelly Sunday School Class will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The receiving of friends will be from 12-2 p.m. on Saturday at Broad Street United Methodist Church prior to the service.
Memorials may be made to the Cleveland Public Library, 795 Church St., Cleveland, TN 37203; or Broad Street United Methodist Church, 155 Central Ave., Cleveland, TN 37311; or the charity of your choice.
We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Hopper family guest book at www.ralphbuckner.com.
Ralph Buckner Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.