James B. Hopper, age 86, passed away February 7 after an extended illness. He was born in Princeton, KY, the son of Roscoe Virgil Hopper and Mamie Francis Hopper. While serving in the U.S. Air Force, he met and married the love of his life, Ruth Freshour of Hays, KS. Together they moved to Birmingham, AL in 1955 where he worked as an engineer for Hayes Aircraft and eventually retired from Hayes Target Division in Leeds, AL. He was an active member at St. John’s United Methodist Church and later Leeds First UMC. In 2015, they moved to Huntsville to be closer to family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Hugh V. Hopper, John W. Hopper, and Charles E. Hopper, three sisters, Virginia Hopper, Mildred Hopper, and Margaret Hopper Pugh, and son-in-law, Rev. Dr. Michael M. Stewart. Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years, Ruth Freshour Hopper, daughters, Jill Hopper Stewart of Huntsville, Janis Sanders (Don) of Hyattsville, MD, and son, Jeffery C. Hopper (Elaine Swobe) of Atlanta, GA, three grandchildren, Nathan Stewart (Kit) of Jacksonville, FL, Skye Stewart (Alex Nosnik) of Somerville, AM, and Claire Stewart of Pensacola, FL, and one sister, Pauline Parrent of Princeton KY.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, February 21 at Magnolia Trace Retirement Life Community, 1 Clubhouse Ave., SW, Huntsville, AL.
The family recommends that memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.
