Joseph W. LOOPER

NEWPORT NEWS - Joseph William Looper, 81, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010.
He was a native of Oxford, Miss., and had been a resident of Newport News for 45 years. Mr. Looper was employed by WGH Radio as a chief engineer for 17 years, then went to work with Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul, Minn., for a year and returned to Virginia to work for Hampton Roads Cablevision, now known as Cox. He attended the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford before entering the U.S. Army, where he served two years. He enjoyed flying is own piper cherokee across the United States with his family, and bench rest shooting matches with his longtime friend, George Morton.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. James Burdine Looper and Margaret Rupert Haase Looper.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Betty Hinton Looper; daughter, Jean Carter Looper Ruckel and her husband, Anthony of Williamsburg; sister, Mary Looper Geschwind of Richmond; and nieces and nephews, Carl-Henry Geschwind of Virginia; William F. Geschwind and his wife, Beth of North Carolina, Joe Ed Looper Jr. and his wife, Joan, Patricia Hardin and her husband, Ted, and Nell Looper Lundy, all of South Carolina, Deborah Hinton Rowlett and her husband, Reid of Bethesda, Md.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at Peninsula Funeral Home. Burial will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Williamsburg Hospice House, 4445 Powhatan Parkway, Williamsburg, VA 23188; or the SPCA, 523 J. Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News, VA 23601.
Peninsula Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.