Memorial Service for Jim L. Hopper, 74 of Waubay, SD will be held on Thursday, January 29, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. at the Kingdom Hall in Sisseton, SD with Elder Richard Keeble will officiating. Pallbearers will be Michael Hopper, Collin Hopper, Sean Hopper, Ian Hopper, Adam Kriz and David Hopper. Honorary Pallbearers will be all of Jim's Nieces & Nephews. There will be visitation on Monday, January 26, 2009 from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. at Cahill Funeral Chapel. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Hopper Family Cemetery, Harrison, Arkansas.
Jim was born on July 4, 1934, in Harrison, Arkansas, to L.G. Hopper and Elfia Battenfield. They moved to southern California, where he grew up in Sylmar, California. He went to school in San Fernando, CA. Following his education he joined the United States Army and served in the Korean War. He was married to Henrietta Gill Hopper for forty four years. They moved to SD in November of 1974. They lived in Aberdeen for five years before moving to Enemy Swim Lake in 1980. Jim's favorite things to do were fishing, hunting, and playing cards in his later years. He learned to play video games, he also liked to read, including the bible. He was a hydraulic assembler in California. He become a welder and worked at Angus Palm in Watertown. He also worked as a construction worker and was a Gun Smith. He loved the snow in South Dakota, but didn't care for the cold. He also liked to work on old cars. He spent the last five months at the Strand-Kjorsvig Nursing Home in Roslyn, SD, where he passed away on January 24, 2009.
Jim is survived by his wife, Henrietta Hopper of Waubay, SD, seven sons, Michael Hopper, of Sunland, CA, David Allen of Ventura, CA, Ian Hopper of Anaheim, CA, Michael Jay Hopper of Waubay, SD, Sean Hopper of Waubay, SD, Eric Hopper of Waubay, SD, and Waylan Hopper of Sioux Falls, SD; three daughters, Rosie Hopper of Sunland, CA, Deanna Gaikowski of Roslyn, SD and Heather Volker of East Helena, MT; fifteen grandchildren and one great grandson; two brothers, Dean Hopper of CA, and John Hopper of Missouri..
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and one brother.