Raymond Leonard Hoeper

Raymond Leonard Hoeper

June 25, 1918 February 11, 2004

Our beloved father, brother, grandfather, passed away on February 11, 2004, after a brief illness.

Chapel service Tuesday, February 17, at 2:00 p.m. Viewing Monday, February 16, 4-8 p.m., at Hillcrest Memorial Park & Mortuary.

Raymond was born on June 25, 1918, in Sanborn, Iowa, to Johannes Hoeper and Martha Neimann-Hoeper. He grew up in the farming area surrounding Ocheyedan, Iowa, moving to California in December 1941.

Raymond enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in January 1942, after the U.S. entry into World War II. He took immense pride in his service to his country and in having been a Marine. As a Sergeant in an armored battalion of the Fourth Marine Division. He participated in the capture and defense of the Islands of Saipan, and Tinian, in the Marianas Islands.

Returning to the Bakersfield area in 1946, he married his beloved wife, Ellen Marie Summers, who passed away in 2001. they are together again.

Raymond was a farm labor contractor in the California potato industry for many years. He supervised packing house operations from Fresno to Chino, California. He retired in 1980, and worked another 18 years. He loved to work.

Raymond is survived by his son, Gregory and wife, Darla; their children, Gregory, Stephanie, and Sandi; his daughter, Kathleen Buffington and husband, John; and their children, Jason, Jessica, Roxanne, Susan, Rebecca, Phillip and Kenneth; his son, Daniel; and his daughter, Cynthia Cunningham and husband, Terry; their children, Jessy, Chrissy and Steven; 9 great-grandchildren; his sisters, Erma Hurlbut and Violet Miller.

Raymond was a special person and will be missed by all who knew him.

We loved him, God needed him more.