Ronald D Hooper, born in Smith Center, Kansas on December 13, 1935, passed away peacefully in Greeley, Colorado on June 22, 2026. Ronald was preceded in death by his beloved parents, Harold and Ruby, his wife Karen, son John, and brothers Don and Roger.

He is survived by his sister Delores and John Rudnik, along with her children Denise and her husband Dar Benton, Diane and her husband Bruce Mann, Stan Perry, Christy and husband Shawn Damon and their many children and grandchildren.  He also leaves behind his son Michael, daughter Leslie, her children Iris and Forest, and daughter Desiree with her husband Josh and their kids Huckson and Juniper.

He was the beloved son of Harold and Ruby Hooper. Their family journey began in Smith Center, Kansas, before moving to Evans, Colorado, where Harold taught school. In 1943 the family moved back to Kansas to take over the family farm. And then in 1947, they returned to Ruby's parents' farm, eventually settling in Cope in 1951, where Harold farmed, taught, and coached.

From an early age, Ron embraced life's adventures. He enjoyed playing football and basketball in high school, often reminiscing about the spirited game against Arriba, where their quarterback suffered some broken ribs . In the early 1960s, he worked on the family farm and sold Mormon's feed. Ron went on more than his fair share of dates until God led him to Karen Sue Christy at a church in Thornton, Colorado where his brother Roger and wife Sylvia lived. There was a claim of Roger getting Ron in trouble in school so maybe this was his way of making it right. Karen joked at their 50th wedding anniversary that she thought he had money. "Boy did I get fooled!" she said. Ron and Karen were married on September 2, 1966, a union that would last 56 years until Karen's passing in 2022.

Ron and Karen welcomed two sons into their family: Michael Dean on July 8, 1967, and John Barrett in January 1969. After building a home outside of Cope, they briefly moved to Brush to work for a dairy before returning to run their own dairy for four years. In 1974, they purchased two irrigator circles south of Cope, where Ron farmed corn and wheat and raised cattle and hogs. He was a member of the water board for many years. When he wasn't working, you could find him in Yuma competitively bowling. Also a devoted supporter of local sports, Ron could often be found cheering at basketball and football games until health challenges limited his ability to attend. Most mornings he joined the other men in Cope for coffee, camaraderie and news of the day, often spending time at the Rec Hall too.

Ron loved horses, and also giving his granddaughters rides in the cart he built. One memorable ride ended with a bit of excitement when the hitch came off, he and the horse kept moving while the granddaughters and cart did not. He found his shoes, reattached the hitch, and everyone made it home with a story to tell.

Ron was a man of faith, being a founding member of the Eastern Plains Bible Fellowship in 1985. He played a crucial role in its growth, moving from home gatherings to acquiring a building in Joes, where he continued to contribute until his passing.

Ronald Hooper will be remembered for his kindness, dedication to family and community, unwavering faith, and relentless work ethic. His stubbornness and sense of humor were also some of his strongest traits. Let's just say one of the few things he didn't do well was cook!

He touched countless lives and will be profoundly missed by all who knew him.

A memorial service will be held to honor his life and legacy on July 13, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the Cope Community Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Eastern Plains Bible Fellowship in Ronald's memory.