ROBERT CALVIN (CAL) HOPPER Robert Calvin (Cal) Hopper was born December 1, 1924 in Fellsburg, Kansas and passed away November 1, 2018 in Kennewick, Washington. Born Robert Calvin Gordon to Robert Stanley Gordon and Leora Fern Kintner, he graduated from South Kitsap High School in 1943. Cal was part of the Greatest Generation, the generation that lived through the Great Depression and WW2, where he served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps, having the time of his life flying airplanes on Uncle Sam's dime. Cal met Ruby L. Walker when discharged from the Army and soon married her on January 31, 1945 in Helena, Montana. They were married for 67 years until Ruby's passing in 2012. After managing medical clinics in Sun Valley, Idaho, Fort Bragg, California, and Kirkland, WA, the family settled in Shelton, WA where sons Kirby and Kevin were raised. Cal and Ruby then left there to travel throughout North America for many years before settling again at the North Ranch near Congress, Arizona. While in Shelton Cal was the Administrator of the old Shelton General Hospital and oversaw the campaign to form a hospital district and pass a bond issue for the new Mason General Hospital of which he oversaw the construction and then was the Administrator. He retired as a Health Facility Planning Analyst for DSHS in Olympia. Cal and Ruby loved their country and were involved in politics as part of the Reagan Revolution. Cal was also a real estate agent and built homes. While living in Shelton Cal and his family enjoyed to the fullest what the Pacific Northwest had to offer by camping, sailboat racing, antique bottle digging, and trips into the mountains to go berry picking or to beaches to go clam digging. The family also enjoyed staying in their railroad caboose at their waterfront lot near Grapeview. Cal was one of the most amiable people you could ever meet. We will all miss him dearly and his fun wit and charm and interesting life stories. Cal is survived by son Kirby Hopper and his wife Karolyn of Kennewick and grandchildren Austin, Ian, Truman, and Reuben Hopper, Kailyn (Ryan) Neil, and son Kevin Hopper of Forks, WA. Cal will be buried at Tahoma National Cemetery near Kent, WA on November 21 at 2:00 pm. There will be a memorial gathering at the home of Kirby & Karolyn Hopper on November 24 at 2pm.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
1 Entry
My condolences. I remember both of your parents. Great people!
Del Zachry
November 13, 2018
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