Mass of Christian Burial for CW3 (Retired) Robert Dean Hopper will be at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, January 4, 2024 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with Rev. Ray Ackerman, Pastor officiating.

Burial with full military honors will follow in Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, Oklahoma under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

The family will greet friends from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, at the funeral home, with a Rosary to follow at 6:00 p.m. in the Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel.  The mass will livestreamed via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgHN5r25vRY.

CW3 (Retired) Robert Dean Hopper passed away Wednesday, December 27, 2023 in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was born March 2, 1937 in East St. Louis, Illinois, the youngest child of Edward F. Hopper and Mary (Timmons) Hopper. He resided and attended school in East St. Louis until enlisting in the United States Army at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas on November 14, 1954.

He married Shirley Jean Hunter on September 5,1955 in East St. Louis and she accompanied him on tours of military duty to Kenia, Alaska, Fort Bliss, Texas, Mainz and Schwabisch Gmund Germany. His final military tour saw him serving as a Pershing Missile System instructor in the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from 1972-1975. He retired from the U.S. Army on July 31, 1975 at Fort Sill in the grade of Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW-3). His military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, Good Conduct Medal 4th award, Professional Development Ribbon, the Pershing Professional Badge and the Loyal Order of Saint Barbara medal. Upon his retirement from the U.S. Army in 1975 he was formally presented with the German Air Force Gold Wings Award by the Republic of Germany Air Force for his performance of duty in providing instruction and training to German Air Force Students on the Pershing Missile System. Following retirement from the military he entered civil service and was employed as a training specialist in the Directorate of Evaluation and Standardization (DOES) responsible for observing and evaluating reserve and National Guard operations and training . In his capacity as training specialist he served as a member of a U.S. Army training/evaluation team responsible for conducting evaluations of 13 MOS Training at N.C.O. Academies Worldwide.

While working civil service he attended night classes at Cameron University completing his education by attaining an Associate Degree (AS) in 1979 and a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in 1983. Following graduation he was employed as an adjunct professor, teaching night classes in business technology at Cameron University.

In April 1989 he was elected a director of the Fort Sill Federal Credit Union, (FSFCU) serving in various positions on the board before being elected Board Chairman by his peers in 1994. In 1995 he was elected to serve on the Mid-West Defense Sub. Council Board of Director's. Serving three years as 1st Vice Chair before being appointed Chairman of the Board, and serving in that position until his retirement in May of 2016.

In 2005 Robert was nominated to serve as the Region V Representative to the National Association of the Federal Credit Union (NAFCU) Board of Directors. He is a former member of the National Association of Credit Union Chairmen (NACUC) and has written several articles for publication in the NACUC Journal. During Robert's tour of duty as board chairman the FSFCU was seven times voted Army Credit Union of the Year.

In 2003, in recognition of his dedication and support to the Defense Credit Union movement he was formally inducted into the Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) Hall of Honor during its annual meeting in San Diego, California.

Robert was a member of the Military Officers Association of America, The Field Artillery Association of America, The Vietnam Veterans of America, The Pershing Professionals Association, Retired Officers Association, Cameron Alumni Association, and The Knights of Columbus Council 1287.

Robert Hopper and wife Shirley of 68 years, reside in Lawton where they were both active in numerous volunteer activities in the Lawton/Fort Sill Community. They were together awarded the 1995 Fort Sill Volunteer Service "Helping Hands Award" for outstanding volunteer service to the military community. In 1999 they were honored as the Knights of Columbus Council 1287 "Family of the Year" for exceptional service to the council, church and community. For many years they provided Pre-Cana (pre-marriage) instruction to couples preparing for marriage in the Catholic Church. For the last four years they were both volunteers at the Military Welcome Center (MWC) welcoming and greeting incoming and departing military personnel and their family members. Both were active in numerous religious ministries in the Catholic community at Fort Sill. They led a Monday night Novena prayer service for 15 consecutive years at Grierson Hill Chapel. Robert served many years as a Lay Eucharistic Minister responsible for visiting and delivering communion to parish members confined to their home or admitted to Reynolds Army Hospital. Once a month for ten consecutive years he conducted communion and prayer service for military detainees at the Fort Sill confinement facility. He served 15 years as lead Church Lector, and served on the Church Parish Council many years as both President and 1st Vice President of the council.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents Edward and Mary Hopper, sister, Billy Jean Miller of Belleville, Illinois and brother, John (Jack) Hopper of Caseyville, Illinois.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years Shirley; sons, David who resides in Germany and Michael who resides in Lawton, son, James and wife Debra of Benbrook, Texas, son, Ronald Todd and wife Cheryl of Lawton; a daughter, Debra MacInnes of Norman, Oklahoma; grandchildren, Jamie Schweigert, Robert J. Hopper and wife Teri, Billy Hopper, Cale Stumpff, Bailey Hopper, Zackary Hopper, Tyler Strayer and Gabriel Westfall; great grandchildren, Alihas Hopper, Melina Hopper, Robert Hopper, Racheal Westfall, Hayden Strayer, Zac Cotter, Jaxon Cotter, Rylie Pool and Presley Schweigert.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be sent to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.